Obituary of Joan Schroeder

SCHROEDER Joan K., of Midland Park NJ, formerly of Ridgewood NJ, passed away on Sunday, September 22, 2013. She was predeceased by her beloved husband of 39 years, John Allen Schroeder who died, January 25, 1988 and her son-in-law Russell Kleinknecht who died August 4, 2013. Born in Scarsdale NY, She attended Scarsdale High School class of 1944 and received her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from Skidmore College in 1948. She completed her Masters in Nursing Administration from New York University in 1979. Joan started her nursing career as a visiting nurse in New Haven Ct. She went on to becoming the supervisor of the Lucas County Health Department in Toledo Ohio. She worked as the director of the Visiting Nurses of Northern Bergen County from 1970 - 1987. In 1994 Joan was honored by Northwest Bergen HOSPICE for her role in founding the organization in1974. Other professional accomplishments included moderator/instructor in smoking cessation classes at the Respiratory Health Association, Moderator of Family support groups for caregivers of Alzheimer's Disease clients, Ten years of volunteer social work at the Mahwah Center for Food Action, Adjunct part time professor of the School of Nursing, Fairleigh Dickinson University, co-authored the book, Management in Nursing, McGraw Hill 1979 founded the Parish Nursing program at Mt. Carmel Church in Ridgewood NJ. She was a member of the American Nurse Association, The New Jersey League for Nursing, the Home Health Agency Assembly of New Jersey, Sigma Theta Tau and the Nursing Honor Society. Joan is survived by her loving son: Joseph Schroeder and his wife Vincenza, and their daughters Grace and Jessica of Wharton, NJ, beloved daughter Diane Kleinknecht and her sons Weston of Jersey City, NJ, and Jameson of Glastonbury, Ct. She will be remembered both professionally and personally for the way that she approached life with courage, empathy, grace and an unending sense of humor. Visiting hours are Tuesday 3 - 5pm at the Vander Plaat Funeral Home, www.vpfh.com, 257 Godwin Ave., Wyckoff, NJ 07481. Funeral Mass is 9:30am Wednesday at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, 1 Passaic St., Ridgewood, NJ 07450. Burial will follow at the Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, NY. In lieu of flowers a donation in Joan's name to the Maryknoll Missions, PO Box 302, Maryknoll, NY, 10545-0302, would be appreciated.