Barbara Joan Kathleen Schroeder

Barbara (Swanson) Schroeder 1937 - 2026 Barbara Joan Kathleen (Swanson) Schroeder passed away peacefully Sunday, July 19th surrounded by her loving family, friends and caregivers. Barb was born July 3,1937 at Swedish Hospital in Minneapolis to Harold and Pauline (Johnson) Swanson and was known affectionately as one of "The Twins." Beverly, her identical twin sister, pre-deceased her in 2011. In addition to her sister and her parents, she is preceded in death by brothers David, Richard and Paul and son Doug. Barb is survived by sons Michael (Andrea) and Steven (Melissa); grandchildren Lindsay (Drew), Jack (Jessica), Lauren (Clem), and Olivia (Marianno), and great-grandchildren Quinn, Maude, Leland and Arlo; sister-in-law Jill Swanson; nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. A Minnesota girl at heart and child of the Great Depression era, Barb moved with her family to Detroit in 1942 where her father worked in a converted auto factory making jeeps and tanks during WWII, then back to Fridley in 1946 where Harold built their home along the Mississippi River out of surplus ammunition crates. After attending grade school in Coon Rapids and meeting her life-long friend Laurie Larson at Anoka Jr. High, Barb graduated in 1955 from Robbinsdale H.S. and was a finalist for Miss Robbinsdale. After graduating, Barb worked for Great Northern Railroad and Farwell, Ozmun, Kirk before marrying former Marine Dennis Schroeder in 1959 and starting a family. She raised three boys as a single mom while working for the Minnesota State Legislature as a legal assistant and then getting her real estate license and still managed to find time to serve as a den mother, teach Sunday school and volunteer at Meals on Wheels. After retiring from a career in real estate that took her to California and Florida, she moved back to her home state of Minnesota where she spent the past six years at Edina Heights Senior Living. Always quick to join in, she enjoyed her Breakfast Club, Choir Group and was loved by her many friends and caregivers. Her appreciation for music extended far beyond the choir as she enjoyed going to musicals at the Ordway, Guthrie and Chanhassen Dinner Theatre on her birthday. Barb was also a loyal Taylor Swift fan. She loved reading biographies and was an expert on many celebrities. One of her greatest gifts, though, was her amazing dedication to her family - from never letting a family function, birthday or special event go unrecognized to her voluminous collection of photo albums dating back to the 1930s, Barb always made everyone feel special. Most of all, she was a kind and generous Mom, Grammy, and Gigi to those she loved, and will be missed dearly by all who knew and loved her. A private service and Celebration of Life for Barb will be held at a future date. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the American Diabetes Association (www.diabetes.org), or the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum (www.arb.umn.edu).

Barbara Joan Kathleen Schroeder

July 3, 1937 - July 19, 2026

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