H. F. "Gus" Schroeder

General memorials may be sent to Gus Schroeder Memorial Fund, Box 70, Wall Lake, IA 51466, and will be divided among Gus’ favorite charities. H. F. “Gus” Schroeder, age 93, of Wall Lake, IA, passed away on Monday, October 13, 2014, at St. Anthony Regional Hospital in Carroll, IA. Gus was born on November 4, 1920, in Arcadia, IA, to Frank and Louise (Aschinger) Schroeder. He attended St. John’s Catholic school in Arcadia through 8th grade, started high school at the age of 12 and graduated from Odebolt High School in 1937 at the age of 16. Gus entered the service in 1942 and served in the Army Air Corp until 1944, then returned to help run the family farm. He started farming on his own the spring of 1945 on a farm south of Wall Lake. He married Lillian Neppl on June 1, 1948, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Wall Lake. Together they raised two daughters and enjoyed farming and raising cattle.

Gus was involved as an ag-businessman, western Iowa cattleman and original investor in Iowa Beef Processors (IBP), was a former mayor of Wall Lake for 10 years and played key roles in much of the city’s development. He’s also been a champion of renewable energy, specifically with wind power and bio-diesel in Wall Lake. Gus, in addition to his farming operations, purchased and expanded the grain elevator south of Wall Lake and later owned the elevator in Templeton, IA.

He was involved in cattle feeding operations in Iowa and other states and developed many friendships along the way. As a long-time member of the Iowa and National Cattlemen’s Associations, he served on the NCA and ICA Tax and Finance Committee for years; was an active participant in the annual ICA Convention; served on the Building Fund Committee and was instrumental in helping secure several large contributions from businesses and individuals for ICA’s new headquarters in Ames. He was inducted into the Iowa Cattlemen’s Hall of Fame in 1996. Gus served alongside Chet Huntley on the board of Group 21, Inc., a cattle-feeding operation that supplied beef to the East Coast. He had the distinction of buying Hereford bulls directly from President Lyndon B. Johnson on his Texas ranch, met and spent time with President Johnson, Lady Bird and members of his staff. Gus was involved in several banking, commodity and business endeavors which expanded his business and personal friendships. He was a board member of the Wall Lake Savings Bank and owned the Exchange State Bank in Exira, IA. Gus operated a commodity office in Wall Lake for many years.

He was a long-time board member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Wall Lake as well as a lector and lay minister. He developed housing additions and donated land for an athletic complex in Wall Lake and donated funds for a new Community Center. Gus was named to the board of trustees of Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, IA; was co-owner of Lakewood Ballroom and has contributed his knowledge and wealth in many other business and charitable organizations. He has served on the Bishop’s Circle for the Catholic Diocese of Sioux City, contributed to the Kuemper Catholic School, Catholic Charities, where they adopted their two daughters, and St. Anthony Regional Hospital in Carroll, Iowa. Gus enjoyed taking Lil to all the dances at several area ballrooms, traveling to different countries, golf outings and fishing trips. He also enjoyed making new acquaintances and entertaining his friends.

General memorials may be sent to Gus Schroeder Memorial Fund, Box 70, Wall Lake, IA 51466, and will be divided among Gus’ favorite charities. H. F. “Gus” Schroeder, age 93, of Wall Lake, IA, passed away on Monday, October 13, 2014, at St. Anthony Regional Hospital in Carroll, IA. Gus was born on November 4, 1920, in Arcadia, IA, to Frank and Louise (Aschinger) Schroeder. He attended St. John’s Catholic school in Arcadia through 8th grade, started high school at the age of 12 and graduated from Odebolt High School in 1937 at the age of 16. Gus entered the service in 1942 and served in the Army Air Corp until 1944, then returned to help run the family farm. He started farming on his own the spring of 1945 on a farm south of Wall Lake. He married Lillian Neppl on June 1, 1948, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Wall Lake. Together they raised two daughters and enjoyed farming and raising cattle.