ROBERT WILLIAM SCHROEDER

Longtime Alaska resident Robert "Bob" William Schroeder, 75, died at home in Palmer Sept. 24, 2003, after a valiant effort to beat cancer.

A celebration of his life will be held Sunday, Oct. 19, at 3 p.m. at the Eagle River Elks Lodge, 17111 North Loop Road in Eagle River.

Mr. Schroeder was born July 18, 1928, in Racine, Wis.

He served in the United States Air Force and was transferred to Alaska in January 1947. He worked on Elmendorf Air Force Base in the parachute shop where he met his wife Alice, when she came to work there in mid-summer.

Their pioneering spirits led them to develop their 160-acre homestead in Eagle River. They started a chicken business. At the time it was the only place people in the area could get decent eggs. There was no electricity and they had two lakes on their property but no available drinking water so they had to haul water from the stream until 1955. In 1953 a fire destroyed their home and all their belongings, leaving them with only the clothes they were wearing. The community rallied to aid the homeless family and they rebuilt their home over the following eight years. After statehood, they subdivided their land and sold off all but 40 acres.

The couple took ballroom dancing lessons, then became excellent dancing instructors.

Mr. Schroeder perfected his lapidary skills to make jewelry. He worked on Elmendorf doing upholstery work in the interior of aircraft for many years, then retired in 1967. He then enjoyed making and upholstering furniture for their home. Retirement gave him time to develop other interests and hobbies, among them a love of the sea. In 1970 he brought a 44-foot cabin cruiser, the "Sea Lure," up from Seattle across the Gulf of Alaska and into Seward. During the summer he spent as much time as possible in Prince William Sound, earning his skipper's license and spending one summer running charter cruises. He lived in Eagle River from 1947 to 1986, then moved to Palmer, where he lived until his death.

Through the years he was involved in many ways in the growth of the community. Mr. Schroeder was a former Lions Club member, a volunteer firefighter, NRA member, charter member of Chugiak Benefit Association and was one of 10 candidates for mayor when the Chugiak-Eagle River Borough was established -- he came in third.

His family wrote, "Bob was an amazing man who had boundless energy and a real zest for living. He had a big heart and showed generosity to all he loved and cared for. He was always very hard working, could fix anything, very creative with his woodworking skills, could play the organ beautifully, he was filled with terrific humor and wit and nicknamed 'Light Foot' for his incredible ballroom dancing talents. He had a great love of life's many adventures, enjoying the beauty of Alaska's changing seasons as he frolicked outdoors following his favorite pastimes such as fishing, boating, target shooting, hunting, photography, travel and gardening. He was a cat lover and spoiler. There are no adequate words that can describe all this man meant to us; he was the fabric that kept us all together. His memory will live on in our thoughts and hearts forever."

Mr. Schroeder was preceded in death by his loving wife of 49 years, Alice Elizabeth Davis Schroeder. He is survived by his sisters Martha Jake and Helen Jarvis; brothers-in-law Clarence Jarvis, Art Perry and Norm Davis; sisters-in-law Millie Bachich and Nancy Davis; nephews and nieces Bill and Violet Wright, Dan and Kay Jake, Shanda Jarvis, Kevin and Josephine Jarvis, Denise Nicpon, Tina and Mike Dolan, Beverly Wilson, Les Davis, Marilyn Salveson, Mary Ann Regier, Ray Davis, Carol Johnston, Kathy Ricks and Paul Davis; companion Debera Brennan; and many other loving family members and friends.

Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of the Mat-Su, 3051 E. Palmer-Wasilla Highway, Wasilla AK 99654.

Arrangements were made by Valley Funeral Home & Crematory in Wasilla.