Patricia Schroder (Fruechtel)

While raising her two children as a single mother, she attended The Evergreen State College, where she studied liberal arts. She would later attend Portland State University, where she earned her bachelor of science in 1986 and her masters of special education in 1987.

Pat devoted her life to assisting, teaching and coaching students with disabilities for more than 30 years. She worked as a special education teacher’s assistant at various schools across the Evergreen School District. Upon earning her masters, she moved to White Salmon, where she taught at Columbia High School.

In 1994, she moved back to Vancouver and accepted a teaching position at Camas High School where she taught social studies and special education. She retired in 2010 after more than 16 years with the Camas School District.

Pat had a big heart for helping others. She loved and took interest in many of her students throughout her teaching career. She was also actively involved in Special Olympics as a coach and volunteer in addition to providing temporary respite care relief for families of children with special needs.

Additionally, Pat developed a passion for politics at an early age when she first served as a government page at the Washington State Capitol during her senior year in high school. She became an active member in Washington State Democrats, where she attended state democratic caucuses and managed senatorial and legislative campaigns. She also successfully spearheaded the passage of levy and bond election campaigns to support educational programs in the Evergreen School District. Her love for politics later resulted in her running and being elected as Mayor of the city of White Salmon in 1992, where she held the post for two years.

Family and friends were Pat’s delight, but her passion was her enduring love for her two grandchildren, Ryan (15) and Alex (12) of Frisco, Texas. She lived for her grandchildren and jumped at the chance to visit them in Texas for weeks on end to spend time and watch them play baseball and soccer.

Pat is survived by her two sons, Jon of Vancouver and Tim of Frisco, Texas; brothers Tom and Mark Fruechtel; daugther-in-law Lisa Schroder; sister-in-law Mary Jo Fruechtel; niece Genevieve and great nephew Mac Richardson; nephew Joseph and his wife Melissa Fruechtel; her two loving grandchildren, Ryan and Alex; companion James Conrad Ingram; and her two dogs Thunder and Fritz.

Pat had a deep love for animals, watching her endless soap operas, reading and singing. She participated in multiple church choirs over her lifetime. Her angelic voice now rings through Heaven.

The family has established an endowed scholarship fund to continue her legacy of helping students with disabilities and benefiting the population that she supported throughout her teaching profession. Tax-deductible charitable contributions can be made to the Patricia Schroder Memorial Scholarship Fund via check to the Community Foundation for Southwest Washington, 610 Esther Street, Suite 201, Vancouver, Wash. 98660 or or online at www.cfsww.org/donate”

There will be a private graveside service for immediate family members at Evergreen Memorial Gardens in Vancouver.