Concordia Seminary Newsroom
Spreading the Word
As the sun sets on a sizzling summer day, a golden glow pours into the sunroom of the home of Vernon and Joann Schroeder in St. Charles, Mo. They sit side by side on a refurbished pew from Immanuel Lutheran Church — the St. Charles church in which they were married and first attended as a couple. Both were raised not too far from their beautiful bungalow on Missouri farms, only three miles apart. However, they didn’t meet until Joann stopped in the little country store where Vernon worked. “She would stop once in a while and fill up her gas tank and that’s how we met,” Vernon said.
Their first date was Vernon’s 20th birthday. Two years later, also on his birthday, they were engaged and four months after that were married. “We had our reception at the golf clubhouse,” Joann added. “And our 25th and 50th anniversaries were celebrated with dancing,” Vernon continued. “We like ballroom dancing. The waltz is our favorite. We also like the foxtrot and rumba.” The couple have been married for more than 62 years.
The Schroeders also share the same joyous mission. “Our goal is to spread the Word as much as possible. We do that in lots of different ways,” Vernon said. As Adopt-A-Student sponsors at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis and Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, Ind., the Schroeders “adopt” seminarians each year and support students with financial gifts and prayers.
“It’s all related to spreading the Word,” Vernon said. “Look what the Lord has done for us. He gave us eternal life. We want to share that with everyone. There is very little that we support that is not involved in that mission. We get to share Christ’s love with others. The seminaries are one way of doing that.”
Concordia Theological Seminary and the Lutheran Elementary School Association (LESA) also are very important to the Schroeders, who emphasize the high priority of funding organizations that share His Word. “If one soul is saved, it’s worth it,” Vernon said.
Near the farm where Vernon grew up, there were two sisters who never married but were very close to his family. “Those women were so generous and kind and gave us things we would never have had if it hadn’t been for them,” Vernon said. Now the Schroeders share their financial blessings to support their goal of sharing the Gospel with as many people as possible.
“We’ve been blessed immensely all our lives,” Vernon said. The couple’s extended family includes their daughter-in-law, two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren in Columbus, Ohio, and their son, John, daughter-in-law and grandson, who live in Lubbock, Texas. Since the couple travel very little, they look forward to when their family visits them.
“That doesn’t mean we haven’t had some hardships,” Vernon said. “We had three children and two of them are deceased: Thomas, at 22 months old, and Philip, three years ago at age 53. Through the hardships, the Lord sees us and guides us and sees us through it. We thank the Lord. I don’t know how we could have done it without our faith.”
Their faith was strengthened through their Lutheran upbringing and service in several St. Charles-area congregations. As a child, Vernon attended and was confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church, and later joined Joann’s home congregation, Immanuel Lutheran Church, to worship together. In the early 2000s, the couple was asked to help form a new church, Child of God Lutheran Church and School.
“Our goal is to spread the Word.”
— Vernon Schroeder
The Schroeders have enjoyed attending church at Child of God and became members in 2006. They love hearing the children from the school sing during services and have seen the school’s enrollment grow to more than 270 students. The couple is fond of their pastor, Rev. Jeremy Gorline (’01), who regularly visits the Schroeders’ home. The couple attends weekly worship and Bible study, setting an example of the importance of continuing to be in His Word.
Also in 2006, they both retired: Joann from a legal firm and Vernon after 37 years from the accounting department at the Boeing Company. Since then, both have volunteered in different capacities over the years at SSM Health St. Joseph Hospital in St. Charles.
Vernon and Joann have spent their lives dedicated to spreading the Word and helping others. From their humble beginnings to their volunteer work and active involvement in church and community, the Schroeders have exemplified a life of faith, love and service.
Pointing heavenward to Christ, Vernon said, “We get to share His love with others.”