Emmalein ZumMallen Schroeder

Emmalein Marie Zum-Mallen was born on March 27, 1928, in El Reno and passed away on Feb. 9, 2026.

She was baptized on April 15 and confirmed on March 29, 1942, in St. John’s Lutheran Church in Okarche.

She grew up attending St. John’s Parochial School for eight years, finishing her high school years at Okarche Public School. After graduating high school in 1946, she attended St. John’s Lutheran College at Winfield, Kan. and completed a nine-month business course in 1947.

She started working at First Bank of Okarche and continued until she married Neal Eugene Schroeder on Oct. 6, 1949. Together, they farmed south of Okarche until Neal’s passing in 1970.

During this time, they welcomed two children, Dietrich “Dick” Eugene and, 10 years later, Emilee Marie.

Emmalein enjoyed helping Neal with all the farming chores. The task of separating the cream from the milk and gathering of the eggs were two of her everyday chores. During harvest, she was driving wheat trucks and delivering meals to the field.

She was a member of Walther League, LWML (AAL and later Lamplighters), where she attended conventions across the United States from 1970 until 2020.

Emmalein loved to sing with the church choir and join in the Bible studies and game night at the church. Her favorite TV game show was Wheel of Fortune.

She was the St. John’s church secretary for 25 years and AAL secretary for many of those years.

Emmalein also enjoyed bowling with a group of local women and they traveled many places across the country. She was an avid quilter and embroidered many Baptismal napkins for St. John’s.

Emmalein also enjoyed ballroom dancing with the Fred Astaire Dance Studio and Dance Magic. They traveled all around the world competing and she won many medals, ribbons and trophies.

She was on the Okarche Fair Board and head of the photography department. She also enjoyed entering her photography, crafts, sewing and art. She also was a precinct worker for the Kingfisher County Election Board.

Emmalein loved the Lord and shared her faith with many others.

Preceding her in death was her husband, Neal; father and mother, Dietrich and Louise; sister Elaine Roth and brother Arnold ZumMallen.

Surviving are her sister Julia Willms of Kingfisher; son Dietrich Schroeder and wife Sheryl; daughter Emilee Morgan and husband Ken; grandchildren Sabrina and Aaron Beasley (daughters Kalista and Danica), Jeremy and Shelli Schroeder (daughter Joli), Nicholas and Elizabeth Schroeder (daughters Evelyn and Allison and son Quentin), Ryan Morgan and Shannon (son Beckham and daughter Callie) and Glenn Morgan.

Services for Emmalein will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, Feb. 16, in Okarche at St. John’s Lutheran Church with Pastors Jeff Klade and Ray Smith officiating.

She will be buried in St. John’s Lutheran Cemetery under the direction of Huber- Benson Funeral Home.