Crystal Ann Schroeder, 76

Crystal Ann Schroeder, 76, formerly of Woodstock IL, Denver CO and Greenfield WI, passed away peacefully at Anam Care, Rockford IL, on February 16, 2025, after a heartbreaking battle with Alzheimer’s Disease. 

Born on August 23, 1948, in Dubuque IA, the daughter of Robert C. & Shirley (Green) Schroeder, Crystal grew up in Woodstock, attending St. Mary’s Catholic School and Woodstock Community High School, graduating in 1966.  She was an active member in the National Honor Society, chorus, and theater, and was an accomplished pianist, studying under Willem Bleese, Crystal Lake.  She was a popular accompanist for singers and instrumentalists throughout school and beyond. 

Throughout her life, Crystal was an executive for American National Bank, Chicago and Colorado National Bank, Denver, eventually finding her true calling as a corporate travel agent for Centerpoint Travel, Denver and HK Systems, New Berlin WI.  Her love of travel began as a summer foreign exchange student to Austria in 1965, which eventually led to travels to Ireland, England, Wales, Scotland, Budapest, Prague, Canada and Mexico.  She also traveled extensively “from sea to shining sea,” in the U.S., her most cherished were trips with her father to Washington D.C. and, most notably, the United States Navy Memorial, culminating in a trip with her brother and sisters to the U.S.S. John Bole ship reunion in Washington to honor him after his death in 2011. 

Above all, Crystal was a lifelong member of the Die-Hard Cub Fan Club, attending numerous spring training games, regular season games and Cub conventions.  She couldn’t have been happier when she watched her beloved Cubs win the World Series in 2016. 

Crystal was a member of Mensa International, and a tireless volunteer after she retired.  A cancer survivor, she drove cancer patients to appointments and hospital visits.  She was fascinated by genealogy, did extensive research for ancestry.com, and completed numerous detailed family histories for family and friends.  She was devoted to her charities, generously supporting medical research, animal advocacy and veterans’ organizations. 

Crystal was preceded in death by her parents, grandparents Emil and Birdie (Gray) Schroeder, and James P. and Frances (Knox) Green, and beloved aunts and uncles, Alice and Hank Nulle, Rose and Wayland Sahs, Bea and Nick Polizzi, Ruth and Walt Haynes and Rita and Don Schroeder.  She is survived by sisters Cynthia (Robert) Luckey, Woodstock, Roberta “Bobbi” (George) Balek, Loves Park, and brother Michael (Gina) Schroeder, Havana IL, in addition to many cherished cousins, nieces and nephews, including Jennifer (Patrick) Murphy, Alyssa (Jesse) Luckey Winters, Andy (Anna) Balek, Erin Balek and James Casasola, Danielle (Nathan) Hammac and Chelsea (Jordan) Wegner. 

The family would like to thank the administration and staff at Anam Glen and Anam Care, Rockford, for the exceptional and steadfast loving care and kindness they showed Crystal over the last two years. 

Memorials can be made to her favorite charities: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis TN 38105; or The Wisconsin Humane Society, 4500 W. Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee WI 53208.