Obituary of Cheryle Yvonne Schroeder

Cheryle Y Schroeder was born in Consort, Alberta, on April 5"‘, 1952 to Earl and Joyce (nee Richards) Rumohr. She grew up there with two older brothers, Wayne and Dale, and a younger sister, Sheila plus a large extended family on both sides. A highlight she recalled often was the family trip to Ontario for hockey tryouts. Cheryle enjoyed sports, playing volleyball, organ lessons and especially art. Her mom retrieved many paintings from the trash to convince her she had talent and eventually she was accepted into an art school in the U.S. She never went, but did give many art lessons in her life. Her plans were changed by Manfred Schroeder, a farmer’s son from Esther that she met on the dance floor. They fell in love and were married October 24, 1970 in the presence of family, friends and neighbours.

They moved to Stettler and the next year were blessed with daughter, Candace, and a year after that a son, Darcey. Manfred and Cheryle wanted a dozen children, but their third baby didn’t survive to term and was the last. Cheryle never got over that mentally or physically, but she tried to fill the hole in her heart by loving so many people she "adopted" over the years. The young family purchased an older house in Oyen (near Manfred’s parents Olga and Julius) to remodel, but it was destroyed by fire soon after — an event that taught them the power of community.

In 1977, the Schroeders purchased a service station on Highway 41A outside of Medicine Hat where they worked long hours together and built more relationships with staff and customers. By the mid 80's. the prospects in the Hat changed and Manfred pursued a job opportunity with Case International in Vermilion, Alberta. Cheryle began a customer service position at the Eastalta Co-op Grocery store where she greeted members by name. The family soon moved to an acreage near Claysmore where Cheryle enjoyed gardening, canning, watching wildlife, playing cards and visiting neighbours from the community. During this time, although plagued by migraines, Cheryle was a devoted wife and mother - outspoken and overprotective but with deep caring. In 1990, Candace was married and Manfred and Cheryle moved back to Oyen to make it their home. Their first grandson, Branden, was born in 1993. In 1996, Darcey was married to Raynette Ulliac and they had a son Raymond Julius (R..l.).

Soon after, Cheryle turned her dream of living in a large, Victorian house with a front porch into a reality and a bustling bed and breakfast for more than 16 years. She was able to open her heart and their home to welcome visitors from around the corner and around the world. Manfred enjoyed cooking and having a new audience each morning for his jokes. She thrived on decorating for every holiday, especially Christmas, her favorite time of year. While Manfred was always on the go out in the community, Cheryle mostly kept the home fires burning and her husband in line. She expressed her opinions openly and you knew you were in trouble if you got "the look".

By 2014, injuries to her shoulder and knee forced Cheryle and Manfred to move into a bungalow. It was a difficult adjustment for the whole family not to gather at the B&B, but Manfred and Cheryle continued to host meals, card parties and holidays. Her daughter, Candace, was her partner in many games and adventures as she had also moved back to the Oyen area by then. As much as Cheryle’s children were her pride; her grandsons and great-granddaughters were undoubtably her greatest joy. Each came to see her during her final days in care facilities. Whether you were family, a friend or someone she just met, Cheryle had a unique way of making you feel cared for with her warm smile, handheld or soft hug. The stories of life, people and history she shared will also be truly missed. Cheryle Schroeder passed peacefully the morning of March 2nd, 2024 in Medicine Hat hospital surrounded by loved ones.