Date of Birth:
Friday, January 25, 1952
Date of Death:
Friday, September 19, 2025
Age:
73 years old

Kathryn “Kathy” L. Schroeder

Kathryn (“Kathy”) Louise Schroeder, of Stewartville, Minnesota, left this realm on Friday, September 19, in the most dramatic and theatrical way possible — totally on brand.

Kathy was born January 25, 1952, in Rochester. She spent her first five years on a farm near Simpson and later moved to the “big” city of Rochester. She graduated from John Marshall High School in 1965 and worked for Heritage Pet Hospital as a veterinary technician for eleven years (she was always very specific on the timing) before opening Animal Friends with her sister Rita in Rochester, which was a dog and cat boarding kennel and grooming studio. A few years after her split with Rita, who moved down the street to open A Better Groomer, Kathy sold the business to her good friend Bob following her diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis.

Before retiring in 2000, Kathy trained dogs professionally. She ran the Puppy Preschool program through Rochester Community Education for a number of years, raised field- and show-titled Irish Setters, and co-founded SE Minnesota Canine Search and Rescue with her partner Dozer, a flat-coated retriever.

In her retirement, she volunteered with the local DFL, making phone calls for candidates and actively participating in campaign seasons. For her 60th birthday, she received her service dog, Karma, a black lab from Can Do Canines. “Kathy and Karma” had their own online presence, and Karma accompanied her on all sorts of adventures, with her favorite being sharing Karma belly rubs with Senator Al Franken.

Kathy was also a friend of Bill W. She spent extensive time at the Pioneer Club, sponsoring many in the program and helping them maintain their sobriety and safety. Even after her cancer diagnosis and cognitive decline, she loved attending meetings to talk about sobriety.

She was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the fall of 2022 and defied everyone’s odds by surviving nearly three years, with help from medical cannabis — something she advocated for. As her MS-related cognitive impairment began interfering with daily activities, “Kathy’s Crew” was assembled, taking her on outings, shopping, and “cruising” as she loved to do.

She is survived by her spouse, Gerald, and daughter, Maren Schroeder, as well as her favorite feline, Ziggy, and the rest of the crew: Zeppelin, Vixen, Kashmir, Snoop Dogg, and (reluctantly) Firefly; her sister, Rita (Roger) Bee; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and extended family; and many, many friends who became family — especially her crew: Amber, Kelly, Tayler, Molly, Kara, Katie, Terri, Danielle, Angela (B and G), Nicole, and Trisha, along with her favorite friend June, who were there until the very end.

A special thank you to her Mayo care team, especially Dr. Young, her neurologist who rode the roller coaster right along with her MS, and our family’s absolutely amazing, above-and-beyond primary care provider, Dr. Wilfahrt, who was a huge part of maintaining Kathy’s goals of care — all the way home.

A celebration of life will be held Sunday, October 26, 2025, at The Old 7th in Racine, Minnesota. Visitation begins at 11:00 a.m. with a service at 11:30, followed by lunch featuring Kathy’s favorite foods and time to share stories and laughter — just as she’d want. Friends and family are invited to share photos and memories on Kathy’s Facebook event page (link) or by emailing Maren at maren@marenjoyce.com.

Kathy was preceded in death by her parents, Littrup and Alice Nielson; sisters Karen (Dick) Koenig and Joann (Raymond) Wood; brother James (Rosie and Virginia) Nielson; niece Teresa Wood; and is finally joining her best furry friends — too many to name — on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge.