Dawn Ellen Beers-Schroeder, 68, of Rochester, died peacefully December 25, 2016 at Season’s Hospice.
She was born on March 4, 1948 in Wadena, Minnesota, the only child of Harry Franklin and Gladys Ellen (Hunter) Beers. She was raised in Grand Rapids, Minnesota and graduated in 1966 from Grand Rapids High School. Dawn was Honored Queen of Bethel #12 International Order of Job’s Daughters and Minnesota State DeMolay Sweetheart, both in 1966. She graduated from the University of Minnesota Duluth and from the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul with degrees in Speech Pathology and Nursing.
Dawn worked as a registered nurse in the medical ICU at the University of Minnesota Hospital, in the cardiac ICU at the Veterans’ Hospital in Minneapolis and at St. Marys Hospital in Rochester. The last 14 years of her R.N. career were in the Emergency Department at St. Marys Hospital where she retired in December 2014. In 1978 she married Kenneth W. Schroeder and the couple raised two wonderful children. They later divorced.
Influenced by her upbringing in beautiful northern Minnesota, Dawn enjoyed many outdoor recreational sports including snow skiing and water skiing, ice skating, canoeing, camping, tennis, golf, biking, horseback riding, and later in-line skating, kayaking and standup paddle boarding. She was a distance runner and competed in 16 marathons after age 50.
Dawn is survived by one son, Jason K. Schroeder of Rochester and one daughter, Marissa (Alex) Hedman of Yuma, Arizona as well as an extended family of cousins. Her two children were the greatest delight of her life. She was preceded in death by her parents.
Memorials are preferred to the charity or organization that you believe will make the world a better place.
Visitation will be held at Macken Funeral Home on Friday, January 13 from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM. A Memorial Mass will be celebrated 10:30AM Saturday, January 14, 2017 at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Rochester officiated by Rev. John Lasuba. Visitation at St. Johns will be one hour prior to the service at the church.
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