Cecilia was born in Cleveland, the daughter of the late Stephen and Cecilia (Domin) Hozdic. Cecilia was the beloved wife of Richard M. Schroeder for 61 years; loving mother of Nancy (Billy) van Ginkel and Rich (Rebecca) Schroeder; cherished grandmother of Emma and Henry van Ginkel and Max Schroeder; dear sister of Rosemary Hozdic and the late Bernadette (Daniel) Sweeney; and adored aunt and friend of many.
Throughout her life, Cecilia maintained and cherished friendships created in her neighborhood in Collinwood and at St. Joseph’s grade school. She nurtured a lifelong friendship with the Greve family, whom she babysat in their youth.
As a young nurse, she drove cross-country with her girlfriends to live and work in San Francisco’s Charity Hospital. And in later years, she continued to travel with friends made at St. Vincent Charity Nursing School.
For almost 40 years, she was a parishioner of St. Richard Church in North Olmsted, OH. Over these decades, she and her husband advised CCD students and RCIA candidates, as well as managing the Eucharistic Ministers’ schedule for the many masses at St. Richard.
Cecilia loved motherhood and treasured her title as “Oma.” She enjoyed trips to the toy store, almost more than her grandchildren and the many who referred to her as “Aunt Ceil.” Cecilia lived for her family, animals, gardening, photography, traveling, and new challenges like learning German at the Donauschwaben in Olmsted Falls, OH.
Hiking the Grand Canyon from the south rim to the north rim and then back, where she developed a deep love of the land and people of the Southwest, remains one of her greatest achievements, and a feat she loved to share about.
To keep Cecilia’s memory alive: enjoy a good meal, indulge in a turtle sundae from Mitchells Ice Cream, and look for the message of redemption in The Sopranos. Hike in the Cleveland Metroparks, plant some dahlias in your front yard, join a bible study, and smile at all the babies.
A funeral service will be held on Friday, June 20, 2025 at 11AM, with the family receiving friends from 10AM-11AM and after the service until 3PM, at St. Mary of the Woods, 35755 Detroit Rd., Avon, Ohio 44011
