Rhonda J. Schroeder

Rhonda Jeanne Schroeder, 82, died Sunday, June 25, 2023, at Oakwood Care Center, Clear Lake, after a courageous six-month battle with metastatic lung cancer to the brain. 

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m., Sunday, July 16, at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah Witnesses, 4060 4th Street SW, Mason City, with Nicholas Nelson leading the service. The service Zoom number is 82494681520 Passcode: 268888. Visitation for Rhonda will be one hour prior to the service on Sunday. Inurnment will be in Concord Cemetery, Garner, Iowa. 

Rhonda Jeanne was born April 27, 1941, in Mason City, the daughter of Lloyd A. and Ivadelle (Hammond) Majors. Rhonda and her sister, Donna, were blessed having three close cousins that were like sisters, Penny, Rebecca and Caroline. She was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses on July 15, 1951. Rhonda received her education and graduated from Clear Lake High School in 1959. Following graduation, she worked as a dental assistant for Dr. Tom Joslyn. Rhonda had a special relationship with the Joslyn family and enjoyed caretaking for their children. 

On Oct. 28, 1969, Rhonda was united in marriage to Denver W. Schroeder, the happiest day of her life; gaining two sons. Kenneth and Christopher. They settled in Charles City until locating to Clear Lake in 1980. Rhonda cleaned for Clear Lake Bank and Trust for several years. She was an educator of the Bible and served as a volunteer Bible teacher in Charles City, Mason City, Clear Lake, Garner, including places in between, and treasured doing so full time as a regular pioneer for 12 years. Rhonda loved to travel, the only state she had not visited was Alaska; along with traveling internationally. She loved people and had a way of making you feel special. Rhonda especially loved entertaining guests; was an excellent cook and known for her scrumptious muffins. In her free time, she enjoyed reading, especially the Bible.

  As a deeply spiritual person, she greatly appreciated her spiritual heritage from her mother and grandmother, as well as, others from her early years like Aunt Caroline and Uncle Leland, Walt, Viney, and Merle Bredlow, Beulah, Bill and Lucille, Jaba, and Evelyn Gelner to name a few. Rhonda was also well known to write poetry for family and friends. Rhonda had a special gift of showing interest in people, especially the youth and made a huge impact on them. In 2015, Rhonda was determined to walk all the way around the lake and she accomplished her goal! She loved taking rides around the lake and having chocolate ice cream. 

The family would like to express a special thank you to the staff at Oakwood Care Center for their wonderful, kind, and patient care of Rhonda. Rhonda was also blessed to have many many loving, caring friends who showered her with affection and attention which was a source of great joy and comfort to her during her illness.

Rhonda is survived by her son, Kenneth (Judy) Schroeder; granddaughter, Alycia (Matthew) Quintana; great-grandchildren, Ava and Andrew Quintana; sister, Donna (Tim) Hartman; special cousins, Penny (Steve) Gelner, Rebecca Lynxwiler, Caroline (Clark) McCallum, Craig (Brenda) Kienast; along with many other cousins and friends that are like family. 

She is preceded in death by her grandparents, Roy and Edna Hammond; parents, Lloyd and Ivadelle Majors; husband of 22 years, Denver W. Schroeder; son, Christopher Schroeder; grandson, Jared Schroeder; and her aunt, Caroline, and uncle, Leland Hammond. 

Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, Clear Lake was in charge of arrangements.