Russell Clarence Schroeder, 98 years old, passed away under the care of Black River Memorial Hospice on his farm in Alma Center on Monday, November 9, 2015.

Russell was born on April 3, 1917 in the town on Hale, Trempealeau County, WI to John and Bertha (Schaefer) Schroeder, the ninth of eleven children. The family moved to Alma Center when Russell was three years old. He remembered riding on the train from Whitehall with his mother to the farm where he would live the rest of his life. Russ graduated from the Alma Center High School in 1935 and was the last surviving member of his class.

Doctors warned Russell's parents that he would never live past the age of twenty and should not exert himself, but he loved farming and was still able to drive the tractor to cut and bale hay at 95 years old. He overcame many health problems to lead a full and active life.

Russ married the love of his life, Margaret Gearing on September 30, 1944 in Saint Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church in rural Whitehall. Together they farmed the 160 acre place he grew up on near Alma Center all their married life. They were totally devoted to each other and were married 67 years when Marge passed away in 2011. Russ was a true farmer at heart and some of his last verbal thoughts were to his daughter about how to take care of the land.

Russell served on the County Board for 18 years. After "retiring" from farming, Bill and Sandy Marohl from Viroqua got him interested in raising tobacco, which he did for 15 years. He also bowled on a league for many years in Black River Falls and Neillsville. Russ played baseball in high school and if there was a baseball game on television, that was what he preferred to watch over anything else. He was active in his church, Grace Lutheran, and served in several different positions. Church was very important to Russ. The last day he was able to get out of bed it was to watch a church service on television. He especially loved pictures of Jesus with little children and he donated paintings by Susan Sampson to two churches.

Russell is survived by two children, Debra (Robert) Sutton of Alma Center and Donald (Dawn) Schroeder of Waukesha; four grandchildren, Scott, Spencer, Diana and Madison. Russ dearly loved his great-granddaughter, Holly, and marveled at her ability to move so quickly, when he was having more difficulty getting around this last year. Russell often spoke of his many nieces and nephews and is also survived by four sisters-in-law, Lois Schroeder, Edna Schroeder, Alyce Gearing and Pat Gearing.

In addition to his parents and loving wife, Margaret, Russell was preceded in death by two sisters, Augusta Meyer and Beatrice Gromatzky and eight brothers, Bill, George, Albert, Lawrence, Adolph, Norman, John and Clarence.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, November 13, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. in the Grace Lutheran Church with burial in the East Lawn Cemetery both in Alma Center. Pastor Steven Stork will officiate.

Visitation will be Thursday, November 12, 2015 from 4:30-7:00 p.m. in the church and also one hour prior to the service on Friday.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be sent to Black River Memorial Hospice or a charity of your choice.

The Jack Funeral Home in Blair is assisting the family with arrangements.