This website is dedicated to the memory of Robert Leroy (‘Doc’) Schroen, Sr. and Esther M. (‘Babe’) Willhardt Schroen. As I get older, my memories of both of these remarkable people become more poignant, and I have felt a need to share their story with others of their descendents (and there are a LOT of us!) who may not have had the privilege of knowing them as I did.

I feel that I was in a unique position to know them. Most of my cousins remember their annual trips to ‘see the kids’ during the winter, and some of you actually had the opportunity to spend more time with them than I did. . . . .but, having lived in Metamora, IL from age 13-17, I had daily access to their love, warmth, and wisdom. I can’t say how much it meant to me as a teenager to be able to hop on my bike whenever I was upset about something, knock on their door, and be fed whatever Grandma had cooking while both of them listened to my little problem. . . .I always left feeling much better.

More specifically, I was in a position to have inherited their legacy. As a young man, living in their shadow, I was able to see what their (my) name meant to people. . . .my name opened doors for me, wherever I went, with anyone who had known them. Depending upon how the person had known them, I’d invariably hear the question “Schroen?. . . .You any relation to Doc, Leroy, Esther, etc.”? “Why yes, they are/were my grandparents”. Immediately after that exchange, I ALWAYS WITHOUT EXCEPTION had a friend that was firmly in my corner. I did nothing to earn this. . . . . .except having been born into a family headed by some wonderful people! I could have been born into a family of folks who were rich or powerful. . . . .but would have been far poorer for the experience.

It is this legacy I would like to share with my cousins and their offspring.

To that end, I hope to use this forum to explore THEIR heritage, their family, and their legacy. I also hope to somehow bring our family closer together. I’m struck by how much I enjoyed the few reunions I was able to attend. . . .a room full of Schroen aunts, uncles, and cousins was always a joyous place, and I always left feeling blown away by how incredibly neat all of these Schroen critters are. I miss you all, even those of you that I barely know!

To my aunts and uncles, I hope that exploring these pages will give you fond memories, and I invite all of you to contribute your own stories that you’d like to share. To my cousins, I wish the same for you, and for my younger cousins that may not remember (especially) Grandpa, or maybe even not Grandma, I hope that you will be able to realize what remarkable people your Grandparents were.