Funeral Services for Willis Dean Schroeder, 80, will be 2:00 p.m., Friday, March 5, 2010 at the Central Christian Church in Fairview, Oklahoma. The Reverend Ronnie Hopkins will officiate. Burial will follow in the North Mennonite Brethren Cemetery. Arrangements are by the Fairview Funeral Home, Inc.

Viewing will be from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm Thursday, March 4, 2010, with the family present from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at the Fairview Funeral Home Inc.

Willis Dean Schroeder was born March 1, 1930 to Edward and Lydia (Ollenburger) Schroeder in Fairview, Oklahoma and passed away on March 2, 2010 at the Fairview Regional Medical Center in Fairview, Oklahoma.

Willis grew up near Mosher Station and attended Glade school. The family moved two miles east of Cleo and he attended Cleo Schools. During the summers and after school, Willis worked shipping watermelons out of Cleo Springs and then worked on the Cimarron Bridge near Cleo Springs. In 1948 he enlisted in the U S Air Force where he served 30 months as part of the Japanese Occupational Force as an Air Police, and then served 8 months for Korea. Willis received an Honorable Discharge in 1952. While on leave, he met Ella Jean Williams and married May 3, 1952 in the Pastors study in the First Baptist Church in Enid, Oklahoma. They lived in Enid where he worked at Hackney Iron and Steel for a short time and then was employed at Pillsbury Mills in the warehouse for five years. They moved to Oregon and California where they picked fruit. They returned to Oklahoma in 1958. In 1959, they moved to Colorado Springs where he was employed to assist in painting the Air Force Academy. They then went to Sacramento where he painted on McClellan AFB. He then worked for United Concrete Pipe for a few years. Willis began working at the Blue Chip Stamp Company as a warehouse worker in Sacramento and was transferred to the warehouse in Richmond. He worked for Blue Chip for five years. Willis began a new career when he started working in the hotel business as a manager in Vallejo, California and then San Francisco. He moved to Eugene, Oregon where he managed a motel from 1984 to 1992. Willis retired and moved back to Oklahoma, settling in Fairview. Becoming weary of retirement, he started a part time job at Loves and worked there from 1994 to 1996. In 1996, he began working for Alco until 2008, when he again retired, due to his health. Willis liked to keep busy and his hobbies included woodworking, watching and preserving wildlife and driving in the country. He enjoyed planting cacti and had a "cactus corner" in his garden. Though divorced in 1972 he remained close friends with Ella Jean until he passed away.

Willis is survived by former wife and best friend Ella Jean Williams; one son, Glenn Dean Schroeder and his wife JoAnn of Custer City, Oklahoma; three sisters, Wilma Carlson and husband Charly of Wichita, Kansas, Irene Schroeder of Enid, and Olive Schroeder of San Antonio, Texas; five grandchildren, Aaron Dean Schroeder and wife Tiffany of Savannah, Georgia, Rebecca Woerner and husband Charles of Fairview, Oklahoma, Ben Hulse of Clinton, Oklahoma, John Hulse and wife Kristen of Longdale, Oklahoma; Sabrina Oldham and husband John of Wichita, Kansas; and seven great grandchildren, Isaac Schroeder, Alexandria Woerner and Brooklyn Woerner, all of Fairview, Jaiden Hulse, Camdon Hulse of Longdale, Savannah Rose Hulse of Clinton, Oklahoma, Savannah Sierra Oldham of Wichita and an eighth great-grandchild, Addison Jolean Schroeder, on the way .

He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Roy Schroeder and Jonah Schroeder.

Memorials may be made to the Senior Citizens Center or Fairview Central Christian Church with Fairview Funeral Home Inc. acting as custodians.
Condolences may be made online at www.fairviewfuneralhomeinc.com.