The Fred and Bertha Schroeder Scholarship was started in 2011 by a grandson and has enjoyed the support of their extended family through the years.
Friedrich Schroeder (1871-1952) and Bertha (Meyer) Schroeder (1879-1961) raised a family of 10 children on an 18-acre farm in Eitzen, Minnesota, and were faithful members of Zion Lutheran Church, which was adjacent to their farm. They instilled in their children a love for the Lord and for the ministry. One of their children, Prof. Erwin Schroeder, served the Lord with a long tenure at Northwestern College. Out of 41 grandchildren, 13 have served in the pastoral ministry. Six have been trained as teachers. One of those grandchildren, Pastor Mark Schroeder, went on to become president of the WELS. Even now, more descendents of the Schroeders are being trained as called workers at MLC, our synod’s college of ministry.
Fred and Bertha loved the Word and demonstrated that love often. As one grandson shared, “Grandma asked me to bring her the Bible and the hymnal one Saturday night so she could read the lessons assigned for the next day. When I asked her why she did this, she said, ‘Because my hearing is not as good as it used to be, and I don’t want to miss a single word that God has for me.’ Like Mary at Jesus’ feet, she was never too busy for God’s Word.”
Fred and Bertha faithfully laid the foundation for their family’s faith. Their descendants give thanks for those who have gone before, who have endured the trials of this life, and who have put their hope in Jesus and his Word. That “faith of their fathers” has been handed down, along with the wonderful instruction they received at our synod’s ministry training school.
Scholarship recipients are MLC students who demonstrate financial need.
Bertha and Fred Schroeder
