Hanne Liese Schroeder

It is with broken, grieving hearts that we announce the death of Hanne Liese Schroeder on April 7th, 2026 at Groves Memorial Hospital in Fergus, Ontario. Hanne was the proud and loving mother of her deeply devoted son Christian (Julie) and the sister of Dieter Weiss. She was predeceased by the love of her life, her loving husband, the late Klaus Schroeder. Hanne was born in Sudetenland in 1937 and, at the end of the war, along with much of her family, was expelled to Bavaria in the Federal Republic of Germany. She remained there until about 1962 when she emigrated to Canada. She met her husband on the dance floor in Toronto, after which they would travel briefly to Germany to marry in Nuremberg. They returned to build a life in Canada, eventually settling in Acton in 1968 where Hanne remained until 2018. Hanne was a passionate and extraordinarily talented gardener who recreated a wonderland every summer. She enjoyed as much sitting on her deck watching the birds and chipmunks and viewing Fairy Lake either alone or with friends, as she did slogging through the shrubs and planting walls of annuals. She also deeply loved and enjoyed her years working at the Salvation Army Thrift Store, treasuring all of the social contact this provided. She emphatically prevented family from telling people that she played the accordion ("Shhhhh! Don’t tell them!!! They'll make me play!"). As the result of a stroke, she would relocate to Chartwell Wellington Park in Guelph. Health problems would entail numerous hospitalizations but, thanks to enormous luck, she would relocate to Wellington Terrace in Fergus, Ontario. Immense gratitude is extended to the front line healthcare professionals at “The Terrace”, including numerous compassionate RNs, RPNs, PSWs, NSWs, and other support staff. The incomparable care provided by Dr. John Stickney, imbued with humility, skill, diplomacy, and incomprehensible commitment, belongs in a much different and better time, representing what all Canadians deserve but which only the tiniest fraction will ever receive. These individuals, who seemed to enter Hanne's life just in the nick of time and when they were needed the most, comprised precisely the team Hanne required to keep her munching pizza, chocolate, and cookies, and enjoying the gardens and swans at the Terrace for as long as she did. Thanks also to the gentle, patient, and compassionate care Hanne received in her final days at Groves from both Dr. Stickney and Dr. Chris Lund, as well as the nursing and PSW teams there. All of these professionals cared just as much for Hanne's family as they did for Hanne, and family noticed it.

Hanne Banana was among the most stubborn individuals anyone could ever meet, but also among the most loving and loved. Her silly sense of humor, her eye roll, and her unmistakable facial expressions will never be forgotten. The sadness of her loss will be felt every day for the rest of the lives of those who were close to her. Hanne was at once hardheaded and strong but also tender and vulnerable. Although part of an only tiny family in Canada, for her husband, her son, and her daughter-in-law, her outsize personality more the compensated. Unfortunately, this makes the loss vastly more difficult to bear. We were all so, so lucky to have Hanne in our lives.

Visitation will be held at Mackinnon Family Funeral Home, 55 Mill St. E., Acton, on Wednesday, April 15 from 6 - 8 p.m. and Thursday, April 16 from 11am - 12:30pm. Funeral Mass will be held at St. Joseph Patron of Canada Parish 64 Church St. Acton, ON L7J 1K7 on Thursday, April 16, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. interment at Fairview Cemetery, Acton to follow.