Ada Delila Schroeder

ADA DELILA SCHROEDER was born to Ole and Ursula (Marks) Todnem on September 29, 1910, on a farm in Lyon County, Minnesota, where she was raised and attended country school. When she was in the fourth grade, Ada moved with her parents to Marshall, Minnesota. She again moved with her parents to a farm by Green Valley, Minnesota, when she was in the ninth grade, but she continued to attend high school in Marshall. After graduation in 1928, Ada worked for one year. In the fall of 1929, she began attending the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis where she graduated in the summer of 1933. In January, 1934, she moved to Bagley, Minnesota, and began working for the WPA in Clearwater. During the summers of 1934 and 1935, Ada worked as a 4-H Club Agent in Clearwater and Beltrami Counties. In the fall of 1934, she returned to work with the WPA in Clearwater County and supervised the work in Mahnomen County. On September 23, 1935, Ada began her duties as the Extension Home Agent for Beltrami County. Her duties consisted of organizing and teaching the 4-H clubs and extension clubs. In 1943, she moved to Fairmont, Minnesota, as the County Extension Agent there. In 1946, Ada moved to Pipestone to begin working as the Pipestone County Extension Agent. While there, she met Helmuth Schroeder. They were married on June 29, 1961, at Peace United Methodist Church in Pipestone. Following their marriage, the new couple lived on a farm south of Pipestone. Ada continued working until her retirement in January 1, 1968. After retirement Ada kept busy doing upholstery workshops for several counties. In 1971, they moved to a farm by Ward, South Dakota. In the fall of 1979, Ada and Hellie built a house in Pipestone. In August, 2004, they became residents of Sunrise Village in Jasper. Ada came back to Pipestone to enter Good Samaritan Home in June 2013. At the age of 103, Ada Delila Todnem Schroeder died peacefully in dawn's morning sleep on Ash Wednesday, March 5, 2014.

Ada was a member of Peace United Methodist Church in Pipestone where she was active in the United Methodist Women. She was a member of the Eden Garden Club, the American Association of University Women, and the State Association of Home Extension Agents where she served as president. She served on various committees for the National Association of Home Extension Agents. Ada enjoyed braiding many rugs, including big ones for her home. She became hooked on weaving and later joined the Southwest Minnesota Weavers Guild. From her own spun and dyed wool Ada wove many items on her 36-inch loom. She also took woodworking class and made a grandfather clock. She enjoyed cross-stitching, silk screening, making dolls, sewing, and upholstering.

Ada was preceded in death by her parents; husband of 47 years, Helmuth Schroeder in 2008; two brothers, Howard Todnem and Theodore (Helen) Todnem; three sisters, Lila (Tom) Venables, Inez (Ben) Stangler, Lois (Vernon) Johnson; and is survived by many nieces and nephews who were special kids to Ada.