David B. Schroeder

David B. Schroeder, 80, of Woodstock Valley, Professor Emeritus and former Head of the Department of Natural Resources Management and Engineering at the University of Connecticut, died unexpectedly Monday morning, October 26, 2015 of natural causes. Despite being discouraged by his South St. Paul High School counselor from pursuing an academic career, David enrolled at the University of Minnesota in 1953 to study Forestry and Plant Sciences. He financed his studies with a variety of jobs - many of them in the upper midwest wilderness, and all of them outdoors, where he loved to be the most. In 1965, David earned his Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from the same institution and accepted a position as Assistant Professor of Plant Science at the University of Connecticut where he stayed for 41 years, retiring in 2006. He was a founding member of the Eastern CT Forest Landowners Association, serving on their board, and chairman of the Ashford Inland Wetlands Commission, both for nearly 20 years. He was chairman of the Wolf Den Land Trust for 15 years and represented UConn on the Connecticut Licensed Arborist Examining Board for decades. He loved his profession, his colleagues, and most of all "Doc Schroeder" was famous for his love of teaching, particularly undergraduate students, whom he made it a priority to advise his entire career. David was respected and admired for being just as comfortable talking to loggers on a log landing, as he was talking to college deans and university presidents. He dearly loved his family and friends and many of the countless animals he had throughout the course of his life, especially his dog Tony. David leaves his wife of 35 years, Jill; his son Andy and wife, Debbie; his son Mark and wife Deborah, and their daughter, Sophia; his daughter Kate and husband John; his two brothers, Ronald P. and Dennis Schroeder, sister Pat Cardin, and their families; and his two dogs - all of them beloved and bereft. His parents, Eldon and Erna Schroeder, and former wife Mary Jane Retka predecease him. At this time there are no services planned. For those wishing to make a memorial donation to a cause near and dear to David's heart please direct memorial gifts to the David B. Schroeder Scholarship fund 31093, UConn Foundation Inc., 2390 Alumni Drive, Unit 3206, Storrs, CT 06269, or online at http://s.uconn.edu/schroeder .