Gertrude Trudy Theresa Schroeder

Gertrude "Trudy" Theresa Schroeder, 87, Steele, died early Sunday morning, July 24, 2011, at Medcenter One Hospital. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 am Wednesday, July 27, at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, Steele, with Rev. Jerome Hunkler officiating. Burial will be at 3:00 pm at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan. Visitation will be held from 2:00 pm until 7:00 pm Tuesday, July 26, at Eastgate-Steele Memorial Chapel in Steele where an evening prayer service will begin at 7:00 pm. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church. Trudy was born in Farming, MN, on November 12, 1923, the daughter of August and Elizabeth Jenssen. She attended rural school near Richmond, MN. She married Ralph Schroeder on June 7, 1947, and to this union five children were born, Sherry, Laura, John, Mike and Roger. Being married to a railroad worker caused them to move 28 times before settling in Steele in 1970. She worked as a seamstress in Minneapolis and Fergus Falls, MN, and later as a clerk in the Hardware Hank store in Steele. She also worked as a bailiff in the Kidder County Courthouse. Trudy enjoyed sewing quilts, making rugs, hangers, and embroidering towels and doilies. She also loved gardening flowers, vegetables and berries. She enjoyed music and dancing. Trudy loved Halloween and seeing the children all dressed up in costume and giving them all popcorn balls and taking their pictures. She loved crossword puzzles, watching game shows; Wheel of Fortune was her favorite, she also enjoyed playing cards and laughing with her family and friends. She loved watching comedies on TV and enjoyed the simple things in life. The beauty of nature was appreciated by Trudy as she loved flowers, rocks, and seashell collecting. She enjoyed camping and fishing, which she did up until a few years ago. Trudy was a devout Christian and devoted Catholic, and enjoyed the years spent growing flowers for the church. Trudy is survived by her husband, Ralph, Steele; their children, Sherry Mike Perreten, Fridley, MN, Laura Jim Johnson, Hamel, MN, John Kelley Schroeder, Sioux Falls, SD, Mike Val Schroeder, Bismarck, ND, and Roger Jackie Schroeder, Stanley, ND; her five grandchildren, Chris, Jesse, Taylor, Alex, and Allison, and two great-grandchildren, Olliver and Devon; three sisters, Ann Brown, MO, Betty Hilsgen, MN, and Wally Nohner, MN, and one brother, Leo Jenssen, MN. She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers; two brothers-in-law; and three sisters-in-law.

Gertrude Trudy Theresa Schroeder

July 24, 2011 - July 24, 2011