Edith Juel "Eydie" (Jeffries) Schroeder

     Edith Juel "Eydie" Schroeder, age 82, of St. Johns, MI, passed away Monday, December 18, 2023, at Hazel I. Findlay Country Manor, St. Johns, MI.

     Funeral Services will be held at Duplain Church of Christ, St. Johns, MI, at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, December 23, 2023, with Dr. Dan Cameron and Pastor Tyler Barlage officiating. Burial will take place at Duplain Township Cemetery, St. Johns, MI. Visitation will be held on Friday, December 22, 2023 from 5-8 P.M. at Smith Family Funeral Homes - Osgood Chapel, St. Johns, MI.

     Edith was born in Osceola, Arkansas on June 22, 1941, the daughter of Elton Rufus and Mary Louise (Brinkley) Jeffries. Eydie moved from Arkansas to Wyandotte, Michigan in the third grade. As a teenager she was gifted a scholarship from Wyandotte Church to the Baldwin Conservatory of Music. She was "double promoted" and graduated from Wyandotte High School at the age of 16. She married Ernest Dennis Schroeder on July 2, 1960 in Wyandotte, Michigan.  They were blessed with 56 years of marriage prior to his passing on February 6, 2017.

  Music was a lifelong passion. She provided lessons in her home for more than 30 years and continued to give lessons even while at Hazel Findlay until shortly before her passing. Eydie enjoyed sewing, crocheting and made many gifts for family and friends. One of her greatest joys was having her family all together and spending time with them. She was a member of Duplain Church of Christ, St. Johns, MI. She was also the creator and director of CrossBearers choir at Duplain.

   She is survived by her children: Renee' and Lon Gibson of DeWitt, MI; Eric and Carol Schroeder of Lansing, MI; Bert and Hilleke Botter of Netherlands; others she considered as her children: Barb Longoria, Terry Simison, and Chuck and Debbie Pelton; grandchildren: Trevor and Amy Gibson, Nicole Gibson, Shelby and Joe Peiffer, and Zach Speckin and great- granddaughter Eleanor Lynn Gibson. She is also survived by her half-brother Bobby Jeffries, half-sister Wanda Ellis, lifelong friend Cheryl Sutliff and many others who considered her Mom and Grandma.  She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Dennis, two children: Tony Huff and Becky Sue Schroeder, step-sister Dorothy Polczynski and one brother Jim LeClair.

     Memorials may be made to Rock Lake Christian Assembly. Online condolences can be sent to www.smithfamilyfuneralhomes.com. The family is being served by Smith Family Funeral Homes - Osgood Chapel, St. Johns, Michigan.