Leslie Ann Schroeder
Port Townsend, Washington
February 1950 – Feb. 2, 2015
Leslie Ann Schroeder died at her home in Port Townsend, Washington on Feb. 2, 2015, after a hard-fought battle against cancer. She was 64 years old.
Born in Sterling, Colorado, she was the daughter of Frances E. (Proudfit) and John Dundas Schroeder. Leslie was married to Eligius "Lee" Wolodkewitsch on Aug. 4, 1990 in Eugene, Oregon. She was a longtime resident of Port Townsend and taught at Mountain View and Blue Heron schools.
Leslie lived in Galesburg and Aurora, Illinois, before completing high school at Fairview in Boulder, Colorado. She received her bachelor of arts degree from the University of Colorado in Boulder and went on for further education at Southern Oregon State College in Ashland, where she received her teaching certification. She also completed graduate work in special education at Oregon College of Education in Monmouth and earned her master's degree from City University.
Leslie loved teaching and will be remembered fondly by many of her students. She first worked at the Colorado Outdoor Education Center in Colorado Springs. This was followed by teaching positions in Ashland and Eugene, and in Carnation, Washington. After working at Mountain View, she retired from Blue Heron in Port Townsend in 2011. Leslie was active in many committees, workshops and programs, especially those relating to science, health, outdoor and environmental education. Leslie especially enjoyed a multi-age approach to education and she challenged students to reach their highest potentials.
Her many interests included gardening, camping, travel and nature studies as well as hiking, cross-country skiing and swimming. She deeply loved her golden retriever dogs. Leslie traveled to Russia as part of a Soviet Sister City Program as well as to Japan on a fellowship through the Fulbright Memorial Fund Teacher Program. She participated for many years in the Beyond War organization. She was a cohesive force that brought people together.
She is survived by her husband, Eligius Wolodkewitsch; sister Lexy Schroeder; sister-in-law Carol Daley; niece Megan Wedel (Andrew); cousins Betsy Dalton (George), Karen Moore and Kim Hurst (Tom).
She was preceded in death by father John D. Schroeder; mother Frances E. (Proudfit) Schroeder; brother John Dee Schroeder; and nephew Bevan Schroeder.
A celebration of life is planned for 5-8 p.m., Sunday March 15 at the chapel at Fort Worden State Park. In lieu of flowers, contributions to Center Valley Animal Rescue would be welcomed.
The family would like to share the following quote, a favorite of Leslie's. This anonymous quote defined Leslie in many ways; she was willing to share her happiness, and so little of her pain, until the very end: "Consider your life a party, to be experienced and shared with everyone you know! Enjoy every minute that you have been blessed with, and share that joy with everyone you cross paths with."
