Balzer, Arlene F. Schmidt Schroeder (1928-2010)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2010 Sep 6 p. 13

Birth date: 1928 Nov 25

text of obituary:

ARLENE F. BALZER

Arlene F. Balzer, 81, of North Newton, Kan., died Aug. 24, 2010, at Kidron Bethel. She was born Nov. 25, 1928, to Albert and Anna Caroline “Annie C” Lehrman Schmidt in Goessel.

She attended Greenfield School and graduated from Goessel High School in 1947. She attended Bethel College and taught in a rural school between her sophomore and junior years. She graduated from Bethel College in 1952 and taught fourth grade for three years. She worked 10 years for Kansas Children’s Service League in Wichita and obtained a master’s degree in social work from the University of Colorado in Denver.

She married Wayne Schroeder, a widower, of Hillsboro in June 1965 and adopted his two daughters. She then began working for Kansas Social and Rehabilitative Services in Marion and Emporia as a 10-county regional supervisor. She also served on the Bethel College Department of Social Work advisory board. After 28 years with SRS she retired to Kidron Bethel Village in North Newton. She married John Balzer and joined him in Inman on Dec. 22, 1996, until his death in October 2007. She then returned to Kidron Bethel.

Survivors include a brother, Hartzel Schmidt and his wife, Ilene, of North Newton; a sister, Joan Gray and her husband, Bob, of Newton; two daughters, Jenny Crow and her husband, Doug, of Emporia, and Joyce Peirce and her husband, Rudy, of Massachusetts; four sons, John Schmidt and his wife, Kay, of Walton, Tim Schmidt and his wife, Lisa, of Whitewater, David Balzer and his wife, Kris, of Inman, and Paul Balzer and his wife, Janet, of South Dakota; 13 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her infant brother, Donald; her first husband, Wayne Schroeder, and her second husband, John Balzer.

Memorial services were held at Bethel College Mennonite Church. Cremation has taken place.