Nancy Schroeder

Nancy (Nan) Schroeder passed away peacefully in her sleep at the age for 87 on 7 June 2022 in Corpus Christi, Texas. Nan was born Nancy Ward McDaniel in Steele, Missouri on 17 November 1934. Her father, Hoyt Gooch McDaniel, was a doctor with a medical practice centered in the Steele area. Her mom, Calista Ward McDaniel (née Smith), was a schoolteacher in Poplar Bluff.

The educational backgrounds of her parents (Hoyt with a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Mississippi and a medical degree from the University of Colorado and Calista with a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama and a Master’s degree in French from the Sorbonne in Paris) was a family tradition extended forward by Nancy. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Experimental Foods from Iowa State University, a Master’s degree in Education from the University of Hawaii, and a Master’s degree in Geology from the University of Oklahoma.
Nancy met Lawrence James Schroeder (Larry) when they were both students at Iowa State University; they married on 16 June 1956 in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. Larry was an aeronautical engineer, an Air Force pilot, and a mechanical engineer until he retired in 1993. Nan’s work was usually integrated into Larry’s work requirements, especially when he was an active-duty pilot. Nan worked for Better Homes and Gardens in recipe development for a year in Des Moines, Iowa and for the Pet Milk Company for a year in St. Louis, Missouri. She spent most of the next ~20 years raising young kids and teaching on and off in Kailua, Hawaii, Central Oklahoma, and San Antonio, Texas. In the late 1970s, as her kids moved on to college, Nan resumed her work career in food product development, first for Church’s Fried Chicken in San Antonio and then for Whataburger, Inc., in Corpus Christi, Texas. In 1995 Nan retired from the food business and started making hand-knotted necklaces, bracelets, and earrings with semi-precious stones and other colorful beads. She sold jewelry at various trade shows and developed a very dedicated clientele because of the quality of her products. Nan retired from all her work activities in 2012 at the age of 77.

Nan had four siblings, Patricia (born in 1933), Hoyt (born 1936), Doliska (born 1938), and Lula (born 1944). Nan and Larry raised three children (born 1957), Julie (born 1959), and Karen (born in 1960). They have two grandchildren, James (born in 1991) and Katherine (born in 1993). Nan is survived by her sisters Doliska and Lula, her son Michael, her daughter Karen, and her two grandchildren.

Nan lived a full life with lots of friends and relatives, numerous jobs and places to live, and lots of adventures. She has lived in Missouri, Iowa, Oklahoma, Texas, Florida, Hawaii, Ohio, California, and Wyoming. She has also traveled to many other states and countries including Canada, Mexico, Ireland, and Zealand.
Nan saved money by preparing her own food for trips, making clothes for her daughters, and making and selling jewelry. Much of these savings helped pay for educational opportunities for her kids and grandkids.

Through all life’s adventures, Nan was an optimist. She was always positive, even when her health began to fail. This optimism was rewarded with a grandson, James, and a daughter, Karen, who uprooted their lives to move into her house and care for her when her ability to accomplish basic tasks like shopping was diminished. That optimism lives on with her kids and grandkids and will undoubtedly be her greatest legacy.

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.