Rev. Dr. Carl Schroeder

Rev. Dr. Carl J.Schroeder, age 80, went peacefully to his eternal home on Monday, September 3, 2012, at Hospice House of Holland.

Carl was born May 26, 1932, to Rev. Carl & Cassie Schroeder in Zeeland, MI. and grew up in Paterson, NJ, graduating from EastSide H.S. in 1949. He received his BA from Hope College in 1953, BD from Western Theological Seminary in 1956, STM from Union Seminary, NYC, in 1969, and DMin from Western Theological Seminary in 1980. Attended Hartford Kenneday School of Missions 1956 and Yale U. advanced study of Mandarin Chinese in 1962. He served in Taiwan as presbytery missionary in rural evangelism 1957-1962, and in Taichung colleges student work 1963-64, and as chaplain to Tunghai University 1964-1968; secretary for Evangelism,Reformed Church in America 1969-1973; minister of care for Central Reformed Church, Grand Rapids, MI 1973-1982, and Minister to Seniors there again 1999-2009. Carl has served as clinical member of the AAMFT, serving as a marriage and family therapist from 1982-1992. He was on the Board of Directors of the Dutch Reformed Translation Society, GR.

During his seminary years, Carl did church planting in Lansing MI and in Cleveland, OH, and in 1955 married Lucille Van Heest. Carl was 4th generation missionary/minister, and was passionate about overseas missions, and together with Lucille served 10yrs in Taiwan in evangelistic and educational ministry, and while chaplain at Tunghai U. baptised into the Christian faith 25%of the student body. Carl loved the study of languages and was proficient in many, teaching himself Dutch. One of his accomplishments was being interpreter for a NY Times reporter at a WCC conference in Taipei, Taiwan.

As Secretary of Evangelism for the RCA, Carl experienced greatest joy in the Lay Witness Movement held in over 300 RCA churches, where his gifts for mediation and

facilitating group dynamics were very successful. He developed discipleship training groups and small group ministries. At age 46 Carl realized that the meaning of his life was to help people change and grow, with the small groups and his counseling practice enabling him to do so. Together Carl and Lucille received training at a Morton Kelsey

conference on healing in the Christian faith, enabling them to work with healing ministry groups in the church.

Carl was an avid sports fan, running track and cross country in high school and college, running a marathon in his fifties. From youth, he was a loyal fan of the Detroit Tigers, buying Stars and Stripes English language newspaper in Taiwan to keep up with his team. He was ever loyal to Hope College teams and to the games of his grandchildren.

Carl is survived by his wife, Lucille; children, David and Margy Gudes Schroeder, Cynthia and Rogelio Rodriguez, Cathy and Hank Risley; grandchildren, Ben Schroeder, Julia Schroeder, Ana Rodriguez, Emily Rodriguez, Lauren Hall, Brian Hall; sister Joan (Lee) Wenke, brother-in-law Donald (Suzanne)Buteyn; in-laws, Rhea Arnold, Gerard (Eloise) Van Heest, Jackie (Don) DeYoung, Neil (Mary Lou) Van Heest, Harriet (Ted)Bechtel, Wilma (Lyn) Seaver. Carl was predeceased by sister Marian Buteyn.

Funeral services will be held at 11a.m. Friday, September 7, 2012 at Third Reformed Church, 111 West 13th Street.

Visitation will be held from 2-4 and 7-9pm on Thursday, September 6, 2012 at the Northwood Chapel, Dykstra Funeral Homes, 295 Douglas Avenue.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Holland or Third Reformed Church.

Arrangements by the Northwood Chapel, Dykstra Funeral Homes. For more information and an online registry, visit www.dykstrafuneralhome.com.