DIXIE SCHROEDER

Dixie Schroeder, age 85, of Batavia, peacefully passed away with family by her side, Thursday, June 13, 2024.  She spent six months on at-home hospice.  The family cherishes the time they had with her, and she was extremely grateful to them and all they did for her. She was born in Iowa City, IA, on August 8, 1938, to proud parents, Charles and Dorothy James.

Dixie grew up in Albia until she was nine, when the family moved to Elburn to pursue work at the local meat packing plant. She went to local schools and graduated from Elburn High School.

She met the love of her life, Dick Schroeder, in the hallways of her alma mater grade school, but she and Dick didn’t hit it off right away. He played many pranks on her over the years, including putting ink in her glue and causing her to get into all kinds of trouble with teachers.  It wasn’t until high school when she needed an excuse to not attend a high school basketball game with another boy did the chance for romance strike.  Dixie told Dick that he was to tell the other boy that she was attending with him, should anyone ask because that was the excuse that had flown out of her mouth before she knew it. Somewhere along the way the two “magnets flipped” and they have been inseparable ever since. They were united in marriage on July 24, 1957, and began their new life together in Elburn for a few years before moving to Geneva in 1960. They called Batavia home for over 45 years making countless volumes of memories year after year.

Many of Dixie’s childhood stories have included her time spent with Bert and Mae Ferguson on their family farm.  She would spend her time doing anything from helping/playing with the animals, doing chores around the house, learning to sew, baking and cooking to making mud pies or playing paper dolls with her sisters when they joined her for a visit.  There is no shortage of stories from the farm as Dixie became an integral part of their family legacy.  This was especially true as her sister, JoAnn, and she continued to visit the farm during the summer breaks even after their move to Illinois. Though, she often talked about the good times and laughs had in the James’ household as well.

As a matter of fact, Dixie has never found good times to be elusive and has always loved sharing stories with family and friends, including those whom she just met.  No one was a stranger to her.  She was the unofficial caretaker of her local woodland creatures. Whether they flew, walked on the ground or burrowed beneath, they all found a place in Dixie’s heart and food left for their enjoyment.

She now leaves her loving husband, Richard Schroeder; two children: Rhonda (Tim) Smith and Richard J. Schroeder; two grandchildren: Nicole Smith and Brad Smith; three great-grandchildren: Lane Smith, Kinley Smith and Teigan Smith; two sisters: JoAnn Creiger and Charlene (Vic) Wardlow; many nieces, nephews and a whole community of friends.

She is now reunited with her parents, Charles and Dorothy James; two brothers: Larry James and Paul James, in infancy, and one sister, Deloris O’Connell.

A memorial visitation will be held on Thursday, June 27, 2024, from 9:00a.m. to 11:00a.m. at Conley Funeral Home  at 116 W. Pierce St., Elburn, IL., A memorial service to celebrate Dixie’s life will immediately follow visitation at 11:00a.m. also at Conley Funeral Home.  Interment will immediately follow the service at Blackberry Twp. Cemetery in Elburn, IL.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established in Dixie’s name. Checks may be made to the “Dixie M. Schroeder Memorial” and mailed in care of P.O. Box 1422, Batavia, IL 60510. Memories and tributes may also be forwarded to the same address, the Conley Funeral Home Facebook Page, or at www.conleycare.com where you can see Dixie’s full life story.