George E. Schroeder

George Schroeder

   George Schroeder, 91, of Ottawa, died 6:02 a.m. on Friday, October 2, 2015.  He was born February 19, 1924 in New Cleveland to the late Aloysius C. and Ethel Zoe (Cooley) Schroeder.  He married Ruth M. Finster on May 14, 1949, and she survives in Ottawa.

    Also surviving are five children: Stephen O. (Jane) Schroeder and Michael A. (Sue) Schroeder, both of Findlay; Charles G. (Natalie) Schroeder and Karen A. (Doug) Schroeder, both of Ottawa; and Linda M. (Dan) Calvelage of Delphos.  He is survived by two brothers:  Fr. Kenneth J. Schroeder, C.PP.S. of Carthagena, OH, and Clyde (Joan) Schroeder of Ottawa and a sister-in-law:   Jean (Richard) Schroeder.  He was preceded in death by two brothers; Richard and Maurice and three sisters; Eunice Thrasher, Mary Eileen Schmidt, and Janice Maag.  George is survived by twenty grandchildren:  Kent (Jill) Schroeder,  Ryan (Autumn) Schroeder, Melissa Emmons, Elliott Schroeder, Kim Thomas, Alex Schroeder, Clinton Schroeder, all of Findlay; Margaret (Kyle) Snyder of Bluffton;  Melissa (Andrew) Silverman of Westerville; Nick Schroeder of Rawson; Sean (Jennifer) Schroeder of Arcadia; Stuart Schroeder of Lima; Jennifer (Brad) Horstman of Kalida; Ashley (Jeremy) Young, Sarah (Todd) Sunderhaus and Becca Schroeder all of Ottawa; Kristie (Craig) Brickner of Miller City; Jason (Yoon Jeong) Ball of Arcadia, CA;  Amy Ball of Glenview, IL; and Debra Darling of Tiffin.  He is also survived by 37 great-grandchildren and a very special niece caregiver, Cynthia Altaffer of Lima, OH.

    He graduated from Sts. Peter and Paul High School in Ottawa and is a World War II Army Air Corp veteran.  In 1949, he received Ph.B. and JD degrees from the University of Notre Dame and was admitted to the practice of law.  He was admitted to the Bar and practiced before the Ohio Supreme Court, the Federal District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit and the Supreme Court of the United States.  He was the senior partner of the law firm of Schroeder, Blankemeyer and Schroeder.    He practiced Law for forty-five years; served as Ottawa Township Justice of the Peace, Putnam County Prosecuting Attorney, Solicitor for Ottawa, Pandora, Continental, Gilboa, Dupont and Cloverdale, and a member and chairman of the Putnam County Board of Elections, a member and president of the Putnam County Council of Aging and Director and President of the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce.

    He was a Life Member of the Ottawa American Legion and Ottawa Knights of Columbus where he was a 4th degree member of the Fr. Ronald R. Warnimont Assembly.  He was a past Chairman of the annual Red Cross, Cancer, USO and Girl Scout fund drives.

   He was a former Director and Chairman of the Continental Bank, the American Bank Corporation, the Ottawa office of the Dime Bank of NW Ohio and the Mid American National Bank and Trust Co., and the Ohio State Banking Board.  He had served for seven years on the Board of Trustees for the University of Findlay and chaired the Investment Committee.  He was a former part owner of Palpac Industries.

   He was a member of Ottawa Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church and was a lector and commentator for 35 years; a former member and president of Sts. Peter and Paul School Board; and a member of the SPPS Endowment Committee.  He and his wife served as co-chairpersons for the SPPS Alumni Committee 125 year celebration and honorary co-chair for the YMCA building fund drive. He was a former Precinct Committeeman, Secretary and Chairman of the Putnam County Democratic Party.

   He was a member of the Putnam County and NW Ohio Bar Associations, and a life member of the Ohio and American Bar Associations.  He was a former trustee and President of the Ohio State Bar Foundation and President of the Ohio Legal Center Institute.  He was a former director of the Ohio Bar Liability Insurance Company and a member of the Ohio Supreme Court Commission on Character and Fitness.  In 1995 the Ohio State Bar Foundation awarded him an Honorary Life Fellowship for his many years of service to the profession and community.  He was also a Life Fellow of the American Bar Foundation.

  George was a hobby woodworker and a lifelong hunter and competitive shooter as well as a golfer and fisherman.  He was a member of the NW Ohio Bench Rest Shooters Association, and a life member of the National Rifle Association and the Leipsic Hunting and Fishing Association.

   A Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, October 6, 2015 at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Ottawa, with Fr. Kenneth Schroeder and Fr. Matt Jozefiak concelebrating.  Burial will follow in the church cemetery, with military services by Ottawa's American Legion, VFW, and Am Vets. Visitation will be Sunday from 6-8 p.m. and Monday 2-8 p.m. at LOVE-FUNERAL HOME, Ottawa, there will be a Knights of Columbus Rosary at 7:30 p.m. and a Knights of Columbus 4th degree service 8 p.m. both on Monday. Memorial contributions may be made to Parkinson's Foundation.

   Condolences can be expressed at www.lovefuneralhome.com

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