Vila Ida Malinda Schroeder, 97, died Monday, August 23, 2021 at Elkader Care Center in Elkader, Iowa. Vila was born April 7, 1924 to Edgar and Marie (Voelz) Krueger in Giard Township Pleasant Ridge, east of Monona, Iowa. She was baptized on June 5, 1924 by Pastor Daugs and her sponsors were Ida Gilster and Malinda Voel. Vila was confirmed at St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in McGregor, Iowa by Rev. H.H. Kirchmann on June 5, 1938, Bible verse: Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life. Revel. 2:10. She graduated from McGregor High School with the class of 1942.
On June 5, 1945, Vila was united in marriage with Milton Carl Schroeder, of Castalia at St. John Lutheran Church in Farmersburg, Iowa with Pastor Rev. K. Landgrebe as the officiant. Blessed with three children by adoption. Vila spent several years on the farm with her husband and later retired to Farmersburg. She took an art course from Art Instruction School in Minneapolis, Minnesota and graduated on January 15, 1971. Vila always liked to draw from childhood and had a sign painting business from her home, designing and making large billboards and various other signs. Throughout the years, she painted 109 signs, did art work for the church, bulletin covers and a co-designer for the church cookbook. Vila was a homemaker and health aide for Clayton County for eleven years. She always enjoyed working with the elderly people, gardening, flowers, baking and knitting. Her greats love was her family and grandchildren.
Vila is survived by her children, Sandy (Steve) Schmidt of Iowa City, Iowa, Shari (Mike Hansel) Ingles of Garber, Iowa and Stan Schroeder of Cedar Falls; eight grandchildren, Tamara (Mike) Butikofer, Jeremy (Stacy) Johnson, Nic (Kimber) Johnson, Lacy (Grant) Alger, Danny Kuehl and Angie Bolsinger; step-grandchildren, Crystal and Rachelle Schmidt; eighteen great-grandchildren, Alex, Reagan and Maya Butikofer, Kendall and Annika Johnson, Nico, Naomi and Paxton Johnson, Cora and Gianna Alger, Milo Schmidt, Zac and Jordan Kuehl, Makenna, Ciara and Kinnidi Kuehl and Tanner and Tory Bolsinger; one great-great-grandson, Conor Kuehl; her brother, Ivan Krueger of Monona, Iowa; nieces and nephews, Jan (Arleen) Krueger, Jeff (Connie) Krueger, Jim Krueger, Dixie (Terry) Doeppke, Suzanne (Shawn) Kramer and Kathy (Dale) Westendorf.
Preceding Vila in death were her husband, Milton in 1980; parents, Edgar and Marie Krueger; brother, Devere Krueger; grandson, Chad Kuehl; sister-in-law, Roselyn Krueger and son-in-law, Rich Ingles.
There will be a Private Family Service held.
Burial will take place at St. John Lutheran Cemetery in Luana, Iowa.
Leonard-Grau Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Monona, Iowa is assisting the family with arrangements.