Karla Schroeder Stollwerck, 79, passed away peacefully on a quiet sunny evening on May 22, 2025 with her family this week, in the home she designed and oversaw the construction of in beautiful Anacortes, Washington.

Born on August 6, 1945, in Hobbs, New Mexico, Karla was the daughter of Monte and Dolores (Learned) Schroeder.  She spent her early years in Burlington/Bow area.

Karla's family went to Japan for a year and a half when she was eight years old.  Her Dad was in the U.S. Air Force, stationed at Fukuoka, Japan.  Returning, eventually settling in Livermore, California, in 1955, she attended 5th grade and completed her grade school education and graduated from Livermore Joint Union High School in 1963 during her very involved high school years. Karla always considered herself a California Girl but loved both California and Washington.

On August 9, 1963, she married the love of her life, Eric V. Stollwerck, Sr., at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Mount Vernon, who she first met when she was three years old, he was 4 years old, at her grandparent's home on Chuckanut Drive in Bow.  They lived next to the Stollwerck's home on Cook Road.  They had three children, Deveree Paige, Ryan Matthew, and Eric Victor Stollwerck, Jr.

Karla attended Western Washington State College, (WWU), and graduating in 1976 with a Bachelor of Arts in Education. A major in art and minor in library science.  In 1995, she received her Master of Education in Art at Western Washington University. She spent many nights burning the midnight oil.

In 1976, Karla began her teaching career starting in Sedro-Woolley, Concrete and Shelton. In 1979-80, she started teaching at Burlington-Edison High School where she was the school librarian for 13 years and the high school art teacher for 7 years finishing her 24 years in education in 2002 with a Memorable Retirement Party at the Oyster Creek Inn on Chuckanut Drive.

Karla loved going to college and she looked forward to her classes each day. She enjoyed her brief educational experience in Japan. In 1995, she traveled to Greece for a month with a co-worker and learned about the Greek culture.

In 1975, Karla purchased a set of World Book Encyclopedias. For over 48 years, they were her "Google Resource." She frequently would research a topic and updating the information in her mind to the current country name or information facts. Her capacity knowledge for history and current events bordered on a photographic memory. The family often thought she and her cousin, Wesley Schroeder, were walking encyclopedia's Google Style. The only difference was Wes used an iPhone. She was an avid reader, an educated woman. She loved and excelled at learning.

Karla designed and oversaw the construction of two homes. A priority to her was being organized – everything in its place – she took great pride in it. She loved and saw the artistic side of most things, including people. Her favorite color was aqua. She was a private artist. She was a believer in John Gardner's "Life Is the Art of Drawing Without an Eraser." When there was doubt about how to temporarily make something work, she was a master at improvising very simply.

In her later years, she had beautiful natural silvery hair. Many strangers frequently would come up and compliment her saying they "loved her hair"! She looked forward to the Sunday paper comics. She loved her blue Saab convertible (seldom was the top down).

Karla was part English, Welsh, Irish, Swedish, and German. She took pride in all her nationalities. The successes of our family are because of her direction. She was the steadfast glue to our family. Memories that will live forever.

In the end, Karla fought hard to have all the loose ends tied up, her final bucket list completed. It was important to her. She was organized and persistent in this venture. Rightfully so.

Karla was "Schroeder Strong" in dealing with her Glioblastoma Grade 4 Brain Cancer that was identified in July 2024. It was aggressive. She fought the good fight for eleven months, always saying thank you to those helping her with this final challenge. Our thanks to the employees of Alpha Home Health and Hospice of the Northwest for their dedicated help to care for Karla.

Karla was a supporter of Doctor's Without Borders, St. Jude, Neighbor in Need Food Bank, Skagit Regional Health Foundation, Friendship House, Oxfam and others. She believed it takes a village.

She dearly loved her family and looked forward to family gatherings, and eventually having family come visit in her final sunset days at home. She was happy when playing dress up with Georgia and Caroline, reading them a story on the bed or playing cornhole at their grandfather Mike's home.

Karla is preceded in death by her parents Monte and Dolores Schroeder, her father and mothers-in-law, Dr. George and Lacey Stollwerck; son Ryan Stollwerck in 2012. Brother-in-law Frank Treese, George Stollwerck, sisters-in-law, Michelle Robertson, Carol Stollwerck and Heidi Hutchens.

She is survived by her husband, Eric Sr., daughter, Deveree Stollwerck, son Eric Stollwerck, Jr (Pam Dargitz); granddaughter Chantel Danger and husband Cody Engberg and their children, Caroline and Georgia Engberg; sister Mary Treese; brother-in-law Pete Stollwerck and sister-in-law Gretchen Stollwerck.  Karla is also survived by a special former son-in-law Mike Danger.

Karla will be laid to rest in a  private family burial at Bayview Cemetery. Donations in Karla's name may be made to the Skagit Regional Health Foundation – Cancer Care or the Helping Hands Food Bank in Sedro-Woolley.  May peace be with you…

A Celebration of Life will be held at Bayview Civic Hall on Thursday June 5, 2025 at 2:00pm, 12615 C St, Mount Vernon, WA 98273. To share memories of Karla, please sign the online guest register at www.evanschapel.com/obituary/karla-stollwerck