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Patricia Marlene (Schroder) Edwards, age 89, of Colfax, passed away on April 23, 2025, in Pella. Patricia’s family will greet friends for visitation at Coburn Funeral Home in Colfax on Friday, April 25, from 5:00 - 7:00 PM. A funeral will be held to celebrate her life the following day, Saturday, April 26, at 11:00 AM at the funeral home. Following the funeral, a lunch will be held at the Colfax United Methodist Church, and all are welcome to come and share memories. In lieu of flowers, donations in Patricia’s name may be made out to Hospice of Pella. If you wish to send a card but are unable to attend, please make it out to, “Attn: Patricia Edwards, Coburn Funeral Home, 24 W Howard St, Colfax, IA 50054.”
Patricia Marlene Schroder Edwards was born on February 8, 1936, in Galt, Iowa. She was the daughter of Stanton Stanley Schroder and Florence Carlson Schroder Pickett, and little sister to Duan and big sister to Janaan. Pat’s father was killed late in WWII. Her maternal grandparents owned and operated the Grand Hotel in Colfax, and this is where Pat and her mother and siblings lived after the war ended.
Pat graduated from Colfax High School in 1954, a popular cheerleader and friend to many. Pat loved to dance, and along with her brother, earned the nicknames of Fred and Ginger for their dancing skills on the dance floor. She took disco lessons during the ’70’s and is remembered for her “do the hustle” routine.
While working at her brother’s pizza palace in Colfax, Pat, recently divorced and with 4 small children, met and fell in love with Dewey Edwards. They were married on January 24, 1964, at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa. They recently celebrated 61 years of marriage.
Pat worked for many years as a switchboard operator at Mercy Hospital and then with the Maytag Company. Pat was known by many and liked by all. Pat could not go anywhere without running into somebody she once worked with or had befriended in her past. She could always tell a great story and share a great joke.
Pat’s most treasured gift was her family. Nothing gave her more joy than spending time with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She attended countless school functions and sports functions for literal decades. She was always willing to watch the little ones when needed and could soothe all the babies with her rocking chair abilities. She loved her “girls’ trips” with her 5 daughters to various locations like Starved Rock, Chicago, Gatlinburg, Michigan, the Ozarks where they would shop and talk and laugh and love. She loved the huge family trips to Yellowstone, Glacier Park, Washington DC, surrounded by her children and their families. A special memorable trip for Pat was when her son, Don, took her to the WWII museum down in Louisiana. She was very happy when a memorial brick for her father was purchased and displayed at the WWII museum.
Pat was a WWII history buff, especially the history of the Holocaust. At the age of 80, Pat endeavored on a trip to Europe with Don and his family and Shelly, one of her daughters. Pat was able to go to Normandy and see the WWII monuments. She also traveled to Amsterdam and was able to visit the Anne Frank Museum. She also toured the concentration camp in Dachau. Back in Iowa, Pat attended a program with Jodi, another daughter, to see and listen to a small town Iowa lady who had been a pen pal with Anne Frank before the war. Pat had visited the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC twice. Pat also attended, along with Dewey, the grand opening of the WWII Memorial Wall in DC.
Still not slowing down in her 80’s, Pat made another European trip with Don and his wife to Great Britain, and enjoying the sites and scenery there.
Pat loved doing her crafts and watching her You-tube crafters. She loved to create things and share them with her family. She loved her Friday days spent thrifting and garage saling with her daughter, Becky. One of her favorite places to visit was Nashville, Indiana, close to where her daughter, Jackie, lives. It was affectionately renamed to “Grammaville” because Pat loved to visit it so much.
Pat was our Steel Magnolia. Nobody could match her toughness. While Pat’s eldest child and daughter, Teri, battled a chronic disease and was in and out of hospitals hours away from her home in Colfax, Pat carried that burden of taking care of Teri while ensuring the younger kids had normalcy and routine while being miles away. We younger kids were never aware of the sacrifices and the utter despair our mother must have felt in those dark days, leading up to the eventual death of our sister at the tender age of 21. Only as adults could we appreciate the strength and fortitude and perseverance of our mother, as a mother, who would do anything for her kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids. This is the legacy of our mom.
Pat is survived by her husband, Dewey. She is survived by her children: Don (Kristin) Raper, Jackie (Rob) Winstead, Shelly (Don) Wing, DewAnn (Joe) Sanchez, Becky (Ken) Mayfield, and Jodi (Bruce) Snodgrass. Pat is also survived by her grandchildren: Brandon (Naomi) Wing, Dustin (Khanthaly) Wing, Don (Deedra) Wing, Dean (Eric) Rinderknecht, Wendy (Steve) VanDyke, Sara (Brad) Raper, Ashley (Greg) Raper, Elizabeth Raper, Jeremia Sterkel, Joshua (Beverly) Sterkel, Trisha (Aaron) DeWitt, Katie (Doug) Hutchinson, Ashley Mayfield, Andrew (Torie) Edwards, Ali Sanchez, Tate Snodgrass, Tanner (Olivia) Snodgrass, Tessa Snodgrass, and last but not least, Taryn Snodgrass. Pat is also survived by 22 great-grandchildren.
Pat is also survived by her sister, Janaan (Phil) Schlagel; sister’s in law, Karalyn Schroder, Margo Edwards, and Docela Chatterjee; and brother-in-law, Don (Darla) Edwards; as well as many beloved nieces and nephews.
Pat was proceeded in death by her daughter, Teri Lynn Raper; granddaughter, Samantha Jo Raper; her parents, Stanton Schroder and Florence Pickett; her brother, Duan Schroder, her brother-in-law’s, Dave and Dale Edwards and Dr. Kanu Chatterjee, and sister’s-in-law, Dreda McGill and Margaret Edwards.
Pat’s family would like to give their heartfelt thanks to her doctors and the hospice care staff, including Jamie Steenhoek and the staff at the Pella Regional Medical Clinic in Prairie City; Dr. Moyse at The Pain Clinic; and the wonderful, caring Hospice Staff in Pella, Connie, Leah, Bobby, and Michelle.