Marilyn Marek Schroer

Dr. Marilyn Faye (Marek) Schroer, 66, of Newberry, South Carolina, departed from this life and joined the angels in Heaven on Sunday, February 13, 2022.  Marilyn was born on February 1, 1956 in Garland, TX at Garland Clinic and Hospital to Joe and Faye Marek.  She was the oldest of four daughters.  Marilyn and her sisters were known as the “4 M’s” as they were named Marilyn, Melanie, Melinda, and Melissa.  At the age of 8, Marilyn was baptized and confirmed a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which is now known as the Community of Christ Church.  She sang in the girl’s Cantanina Chorus in her younger years at church.  From a teenager to adulthood, Marilyn, also, sang in the adult choir and frequently played the piano and flute.  Often times she sang with her sisters growing up.  After she married and had children, she continued that tradition of singing with her husband and two sons.  Birthday calls from the Schroers were very special, since she and her family would sing a beautiful rendition of Happy Birthday.

Marilyn attended South Garland High School and graduated 8 ^th in her class in 1974.  At South Garland High, Marilyn was a member of the National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, the South Garland Chapter of Future Homemakers of America (Treasurer), as well as, the Colonel marching/concert band.  Marilyn attended Graceland College in Lamoni, IA.  She enjoyed participating in Chapel Choir, band, orchestra, and Service Corps.  After leaving Graceland, she reminisced that it was a wonderful start to the rest of her life.  She said that it gave her a strong religious background, and that she enjoyed meeting friends from all over the world.  Some of her cherished memories at Graceland were snowball fights, singing in the choir, playing spades in the Swarm-Inn, January Winter Terms, “studying” in the library, and making friends for life.  This experience gave her the desire to give back some of the blessings given to her.  She graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1978 with a B.A. in Elementary Education and a minor in Music.  Marilyn continued her education at Texas A&M University to attain her M.S. in Educational Psychology, with an emphasis in Gifted and Talented Children (1981), as well as, her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology with concentrations in Gifted and Talented Children and in School Psychology (1985).  Dr. Schroer’s doctoral internship was at Scottish Rite Hospital in Dallas, working with gifted children who were diagnosed with learning and attention disorders.  Over the course of time, Marilyn published a number of articles in the field of education.

In high school, Marilyn tutored various students.  During the summers between Graceland College semesters, she worked full time at the Chilton Credit Bureau in Dallas and on the side as a waitress at Waffle House.  Upon finishing her course work a semester early before graduation at Graceland, Marilyn started her career as a second-grade teacher in January 1978 at Rosebud-Lott School District in Central Texas near where her parents grew up.  After Rosebud-Lott, she taught music for one year at Pearl C. Anderson Middle School in Dallas, Texas.  She went on to teach at the University of Texas at Arlington for four years.

On June 17, 1989, Marilyn married Nathan A. Schroer in Richardson, TX.  Soon after their first son Joseph was born, they moved to Newberry, SC.  Several years later, they welcomed their second son, David.  When the boys were young, Marilyn worked as the Skills Enhancement Coordinator through a joint appointment at Piedmont Technical College and the Louis Rich Company.  In August 1999, Marilyn joined the faculty of Newberry College in South Carolina and taught there until December 2019.  During the December 2019 Commencement, Dr. Marilyn Schroer, Associate Professor of Psychology, was given the honor of retiring professor with emerita status.

Marilyn was preceded to Heaven by her parents, Joe and Faye Marek and her mother-in-law, Dorothea Schroer.  She will be fondly remembered by Nathan, her husband of 32 years, as well as, her sons and their wives, Joseph and Kasey Schroer of Chapin, SC; David Schroer of Newberry, SC; Jonathan and Yulia Schroer of Munich, Germany; and Matthew and Mary Talmage Schroer of Lafayette, Colorado.  She leaves behind two grandchildren.  Marilyn will be greatly missed by her sisters and their husbands, Melanie Olmstead of Independence, MO; Melinda and Ernest Janecka of Terrell, TX; and Melissa and Gary Hutchison of Garland, TX.  Nieces and nephews are Russell Smith and wife Kristen; Tiffany Rondomanski and husband Christopher; Stephanie Olmstead and partner Christopher Lackey; Joshua Janecka; Brittany Gordon and husband Scott; Jordan Hutchison; and Jason Hutchison and wife Marley.  Her loving aunts are Raye Beinhauer (her mother’s twin sister) of Temple, TX; Eva Malone of Lucas, TX; Flora Ann Kenworthy of Lee’s Summit, MO; Raye McIntosh of Pearland, TX, and Ann Marek of Temple, TX.  She is loved by her sweet cousins and many other family and friends.  Her lifelong friends are Dorothy Schulze Pool from O’Banion Junior High and South Garland High Schools and Elizabeth Raney Couper from Graceland College.

Marilyn was a faithful servant of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ all the days of her life.  She touched the souls of many people.  Her teaching was a blessing for young children on up to college students across the years.  She is dearly loved, and her sweet smile and Texas “Hi, Y’all!” will be greatly missed.  Marilyn’s many friends and family look forward to that glorious day when all shall be together again in Heaven.

A graveside service will be at 11:00 am on Friday, February 25, at Powers Chapel Cemetery, 546 Hwy 2027, Rosebud, TX followed by burial there.

The family suggests memorials be made to Newberry College, 2100 College Street, Newberry SC 29108.

Memories and condolences may be shared at https://www.cook-gerngross-green-pattersonfuneralhome.com/ and whitakerfuneralhome.com.

Cook-Gerngross-Green-Patterson Funeral Home

111 South 2 ^nd Street

Rosebud, TX 76570

Whitaker Funeral Home

1704 College Street

Newberry, SC 29108