My Wife’s Obituary

On September 1, 2022, my beloved wife of thirty-five years died in our home after her valiant struggle with cancer for a year and a half. Our three children are here with me. I have not posted about her cancer here on Concordia Lutheran Mission Blog, so I know this will come as a shock to many as I refrain from sharing the personal, except faith in Jesus Christ, the Resurrection and the Life. This is the obituary.

Natalie Anne Schroeder

Natalie Anne Schroeder, 59, of Lexington, fell asleep in Christ on Thursday, September 1, 2022, around 9:00am. She was born December 21, 1962, in Mineola, Long Island, New York. She was the  daughter of Anita Louise Crooks and the late Edward James Crooks. She carried on with life in her valiant struggle with cancer for a year and a half.

Surviving are her husband of 35 years, Rev. Mark Schroeder; children, Luke Aaron Schroeder, Talitha Anne Schroeder and Abraham Edward Schroeder; sister, Elizabeth Ferrara (Vincent); brother, Joshua Crooks (Penny); sister-in-law, Jeanne Marie Ellis (Stan); nephews, Timothy Ellis (Meagan), Nicholas Ferrara (Katherine), and Mason Crooks; nieces, Jessica Ellis, Gabriella Ferrara, Courtney Crooks, and McKenzie Crooks.

Natalie was Baptized at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Williston Park, N.Y., and she was a life-long confessional Lutheran.  She was a faithful daughter and sister in her Christian family. As a Christian Wife and Mother, she faithfully cared and served her family in her God-given vocation.  Her other God-given vocation was a chemist, and her last place of employment was Micron Biosystems (now Volac).  Natalie’s passionate avocation was music:  singing in choirs and playing organ.  She was the faithful organist of Concordia Lutheran Mission since its founding in 2010 and did so till the cancer symptoms made that impossible in the last month. Natalie was a faithful supporting wife for her husband in his vocation as a Lutheran pastor.  She sang with the Rockbridge Choral Society for twenty years and it was her joyful duty to join together to sing the greats, especially J.S. Bach.  The sound of her practicing at her piano was never far away in the Schroeder house. 

Natalie had many friends both here and in England. Her college friend Teresa Roberts (Waynesburg, PA) wrote to Natalie every day via the mail the past year and a half.  She was thankful for Teresa’s support and the support and care of her friends Laura Righter and Maura Chodkowski.

If you do not want to give flowers but would like to donate, we ask that you donate to Concordia Lutheran Mission for its ministry and mission. We ask also for continued prayers in the days ahead.  We are thankful for all the prayers and support Natalie received in the past year and a half.

The Funeral and Rite of Christian Burial for Natalie Schroeder will be conducted 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, September 7, 2022, at Ben Salem Presbyterian Church with Rev. Aaron Yaeger, and Rev. Eric Malmstrom (Our Savior Lutheran, Lynchburg, VA) officiating.  Interment will follow at Green Hill Cemetery with the Committal.  The pallbearers will be Abraham Schroeder, Talitha Schroeder,  Luke Schroeder, Josh Crooks, Beth Ferrara, and Laura Righter. Family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the church.

 ^“Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.” 1 Thessalonians 4: 13-14