Mary Schroeder, 59, Owatonna

Mary Schroeder (Jirele) of rural Owatonna, passed away peacefully on the morning of June 18, 2025, at her home, after a five-year battle with Frontal Temporal Dementia.

Mass of Christian Burial is set for Tuesday, June 24, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 512 S. Elm Ave., Owatonna. Friends may greet the family on Monday, June 23, 2025, from 4-7 p.m. at Brick-Meger Funeral Home, 1603 Austin Road, Owatonna, and one hour before the funeral liturgy on Tuesday. A Parish Rosary will be prayed at 4 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.

Mary was born on April 2, 1966, to Bernard and Frances Jirele (Skalicky). After graduating from Owatonna High School in 1984, she attended college at the University of Wisconsin River-Falls where she majored in animal science and minored in farm business.

After graduating from college, she returned home and took over the family dairy.

Mary was united in marriage to Wade Schroeder on Sept. 15, 1990. She continued to work with her cows and her dad on the family farm until his death in 2015. Dairy cows were Mary’s passion and working on the family farm was the only vocation Mary ever had. After her father’s death, she continued to operate the dairy with her husband and kids until 2020 when she retired due to her health.

Besides hanging out with her cows, Mary also enjoyed photography, with many photographs she took being recognized in calendars, magazines, and awarded ribbons at the county fair. One of her photographs of the family farm was recognized as “People’s Choice” in 2022.

Mary also enjoyed quilt making, scrapbooking, downhill skiing, spending time with her family, attending her kids’ activities and events, and was a lover of all animals. Mary was an active board member of the Steele County American Dairy Association for 30 years and received their “Lifetime Achievement Award” in 2021.

Mary was preceded in death by her father Bernard.

She will be missed by her husband of 34 years, Wade; and their four children: Sadie (Taylen) Sutton, Kendra (Elliot) Pachniak, Chloe, and Anton. She is also survived by sisters Lori (Tim) Rank, and Karen (Jeff) LaBounty; brother Dan (Tanya) Jirele; her mother, Frances Jirele; and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made to St. Mary’s School or the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (theaftd.org).

For more information or to leave an online message of condolence, go to www.megercares.com.