Obituary of Melvin G. Schroeder

Melvin G. "Mel" Schroeder, age 87, of Fort Atkinson passed away on Wednesday, June 22, 2011 at Fort Atkinson Memorial Hospital. Mel was born in Racine, Wisconsin on January 26, 1924, the son of George and Freda (Mueller) Schroeder. Mel was raised in West Allis, Wisconsin. He attended West Allis Hale High School were he excelled in art and sports. He was a three sport letterman in basketball, track, and football. Mel finished school in 1942 and enlisted in the United States Coast Guard and served in WWII until April of 1946. He attended art school and had a three year apprenticeship in art and design for display projects for shows and fairs. Mel started working for James Manufacturing Company in Fort Atkinson in 1954 and he moved to Fort Atkinson in 1955. He worked as a commercial artist and photographer at Jamesway, which later became Butler Manufacturing Co for 30 years. Mel retired in 1984, but continued to work at the Hartel Corporation designing catalogs. After three years at the Hartel Corp., he took a job with Badger Press, Inc as an art director and worked there for 15 years, finally retiring in 2003. Mel spent 10 years as a volunteer at the Fort Memorial Hospital. He was a member of St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Whitewater, where he served on the vestry and was Junior Warden. Mel was a 10 year member of the Fort Atkinson Lions Club and he designed two Lions Club Emblem Pins. He was a member of the Fort Atkinson Paul Frank Florine American Legion Post #166. �Mel was the loving father of Carleen Church of Shorewood, WI and Jeffrey Schroeder of Watertown, WI, brother to Shirley Proeber of Sun City, AZ, Grandfather of Emily Johnson of Grafton, WI, Ryan Sweeney of Brown Deer, WI, and Sarah Church of Shorewood, WI, Great-grandfather of Madeline Radtke of Grafton, WI. He is further survived by cousins, other relatives and friends. �Mel was preceded in death by his parents, sisters: Pearl Schroeder, Lillian Schroeder, Ruth Schroeder White and brother Neal Schroeder. Funeral Services will be held Wednesday, June 29, 2011, at 10:00AM at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 146 S. Church Street, Whitewater, WI, with military rites to follow the service. Inurnment will be in Highland Memorial Park in New Berlin, Wisconsin. Friends may call after 9AM on Wednesday, June 29, 2011 at the church until the services. The Nitardy Funeral Home, Fort Atkinson is assisting the family