Schroeder, Katherine Isaak (1906-1997)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1997 Jun 19 p. 12

Birth date: 1906 Sep 30

text of obituary:

KATHERINE I. SCHROEDER

Katharine Isaak Schroeder, 90, died April 7, 1997 at Harms memorial Nursing Home, Aberdeen, Idaho. She was born to Peter J. and Maria Schroeter Isaak on Sept. 30, 1906, at Nicholsfield, Leibon Province, Russia.

Katie's first birthday was spent on board the ship Astoria en route to America. The family settled in Goessel, Kan., and then near Hillsboro, Kan. In 1914 they took up homestead near Dubola, Idaho.

After her mother died, Katie, at age 11, and her sisters shouldered much of the responsibility of caring for the family. In 1920 they moved to the Fairview area near American falls to farm the Gov. David Ranch, later known as the Blackstone Ranch. Katie attended school in Dubois and at Fairview Elementary.

She married Armin Schroeder on Sept. 4, 1925. They had five children. Armin and Katie farmed and ranched in the Fairview area, where Katie was an integral part of the operation.

She was a member of First Mennonite Church of Aberdeen, where she was a dedicated worker in Bethany Circle and other church activities. She was an avid quilter, seamstress and gardener. Her greatest joys were her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Several years after Armin died Jan. 30, 1984, Katie moved to Aberdeen for the rest of her life.

Survivors include two sons, William and wife Anne and Clarence and wife Sylvia, all of American Falls; two daughters, Anne Chrisman of burley and Bonnie and husband Jerome Kaufman of Moundridge, Kan.; 13 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren: a sister, Annie Lehman of Aberdeen; and a brother, John Isaak of Coeur d'lene, Idaho.

In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by a son, Kenneth; a grandson; four sisters, Mary Schmidt, Margaret Schroeder, Louis Friesen and Frieda Wiebe; and five brothers, Jake, Abe, Pete, Hank and Dave Isaak.