Iola Luella (Hegle) Schroeder, 100, died on November 6, 2021, at Kansas City Hospice House in Kansas City, Missouri. A Memorial Service is being planned for summer of 2022.
Iola was born on a farm near Lost Springs, Kansas, and received a two year secretarial degree from Western Union (later called Westmar College) in LeMars, Iowa, where she met Harvey Schroeder. She returned home where she worked as a secretary to a Marion County KS attorney until she and Harvey were married on June 6, 1944. Iola was secretary to President Harold Heininger at Evangelical Theological Seminary while Harvey attended school in Naperville, Illinois. Harvey then served Evangelical United Brethren (EUB) churches as a pastor in Fremont, Kearney, and Omaha, Nebraska. (The EUB denomination merged with The Methodist denomination to become The United Methodist Church (UMC) in 1968.) He was also chaplain at the Methodist Hospital in Omaha.
Iola loved music and was a wonderful pianist accompanying school musicals when she was in high school, a college quartet at Western Union (Harvey sang in one of them), and various other singing groups throughout her life. She also gave piano lessons for many years and played for worship services at Aldersgate Village in Topeka after she moved there in 1994. She worked as secretary for the Housekeeping and Physical Plant Departments at Omaha Methodist Hospital and later was secretary to the Omaha District Superintendent UMC.
Iola was always active in the women’s organizations of the churches where she was a member and was elected Social Action Coordinator of the Omaha District United Methodist Women (UMW). She always participated in the UMW reading program often reading twenty books a year – she has certificates dating back to 1946! She was Children’s Work Coordinator for the Nebraska Conference of the EUB Church and traveled the state leading labs to teach Sunday School teachers. In addition, she held several offices in Aldersgate Village including President of the Village Council, area hall leader, chair of building committee, chair of nominating committee and chair of history committee.
Harvey and Iola loved to go camping with their family and travel, even going to Moen, Truk in the Eastern Caroline Islands in 1974 and to Hawaii several times. After Harvey died in 1989, Iola continued to travel going on cruises to Alaska and the Caribbean and going to Israel and Egypt with a group from the Kansas East Conference of the UMC.
Iola is survived by her three children and their spouses: Sandra Polson (Skip) Durham, NC; Jeanette Grenz (Ken) Overland Park, KS; Wayne Schroeder (Diane) Vista, CA; six grandchildren, Cathy Grenz, Kaselehlia Sielken (Bob), Chris Grenz (Esther), Miako Villanueva (partner Kai); John Schroeder (Ryan), Nate Schroeder (Julie); and six great grandchildren, Nicole Jara, Gabby Sielken, Sam and Maddie Grenz, Emily Schroeder, and Eric Schroeder. She is also survived by her brother Weldon Hegle Bolivar, MO, and was preceded in death by her brother Paul Hegle Herington KS and her sister Arlene (Hegle) Straub Kansas City KS.
Iola has seen many changes in the world in her 100 years! She was well loved by family and friends. We have many wonderful memories.
Donations in Iola’s memory can be made to United Methodist Women or Heifer International.