7-05-2023 1:34am

John Schroeder: The Lone Ranger of Rockton

John Schroeder (1948 - 2023)

John Schroeder was deeply appreciated member of the Rockton/Beloit communities. In his earlier years, he was a business teacher and coach at Notre Dame High School in Niles, IL, and a softball coach at Beloit Memorial High School.

He was regarded as an exceptional teacher, a huge inspiration and positive role model for students, athletes and colleagues at Beloit Memorial High School where he taught business education beginning in 1977. He was head softball coach at BMHS for many years.

John, known as The Long Ranger of Rockton, passed away after a long illness, on June 29, 2023, at the age of 75.

John married Ann Anderson on Aug. 15, 1970. They raised their four children, Brian, Mark, Steven and Sheila, in Rockton, IL.

John was a board director for the Beloit Baseball Association, 1985-1889, president of the Beloit Boys Baseball Little League, 1986-1989, board clerk at Beloit Turner School District, 1988-1994, and vice president of the board after 1994.

“John left a long trail of volunteerism and kindness that will be a hard act to follow,” his friend Tom Michaels said.

He was a faithful volunteer for VetsRoll. John paid for Harlem students and members of the Harlem Veterans Program to accompany veterans on the annual journey to Washington DC. President and founder Mark Finnegan thanked John for his contributions and memories in growing VetsRoll.

John was predeceased by his parents, Robert Schroeder and Elayne Schroeder (Dussault); his cousin Thomas Korth; and also, Marvin and Lorraine.

He is survived by his wife Ann Schroeder of Rockton, IL., his children, Brian (Jodelle) of Virginia, Mark (Beth) of Rockton, IL, Steven (Stacy) of Watertown, WI and Sheila Schindler of Genoa City, WI.; his brothers, Jim (Joy) of South Carolina and Jerry (Stacy) of California; his grandchildren, Emma, Jackson, Luke, Adam, Abby, Lauren and Kayla; and his cousin Patricia Korth Abbott.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, July 5, 2023 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM and on Thursday, July 6, 2023 from 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. A funeral mass will be held on Thursday, July 6, 2023 at 11 a.m. at the Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church, 2222 Shopiere Rd, Beloit, WI 53511. Burial will be at the adjacent Mt. Thabor Cemetery, Beloit, WI.

In leu of flowers, memorials may be given to Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic School, Beloit Regional Hospice, or the Jesse Harrell Softball Scholarship.