Former Arlington Heights village president dies at 61
A lifelong Arlington Heights resident and a longtime elected official, Dr. Michael Schroeder was best known for his dedication to the community and his strong religious faith.
Schroeder, a former Wheeling Township supervisor and Arlington Heights village president, died Sunday morning after battling metastatic cancer. He was 61.
“He was the real definition of a public servant,” said Arlington Heights Village President Tom Hayes. “He dedicated his life to his faith, his family and his community. I know no person who represented that more truthfully than Mike Schroeder.”
Schroeder's strength, faith and love for his family remained evident throughout every aspect of his life, said his daughter, Emily Schroeder. She recalled her father's unique sense of humor and his endless support for his wife, Cindy, and their four children.
“I'm so grateful that I had the time that I did with my dad,” she said. “He was nothing but a gracious and caring and loving father to the very end, concerned about everyone before himself. He stuck true to exactly who he is and exactly who he always has been.”
Michael Schroeder grew up in Arlington Heights, where he went to St. Viator High School before attending the University of Notre Dame and dentistry school at the University of Illinois. He moved back to Arlington Heights, where he raised his children, and went on to run Smiles for Families, a dental practice in town started by his father, according to his profile.
Schroeder served as an Arlington Heights trustee from 1989 to 1992, including a brief tenure as acting village president, and later a Wheeling Township Republican committeeman.
In 2001, he was elected as Wheeling Township supervisor. He held the position for more than a decade prior to resigning shortly after he was diagnosed with cancer in March, according to his CaringBridge site.
Wheeling Township Trustee Ruth O'Connell, who also worked with Schroeder on political campaigns, described him as supportive, even-tempered and positive in his role as an elected official.
“He would always do what was right in serving the community,” she said. “I will miss him as a public ally and as a personal friend.”
Schroeder also served as a longtime volunteer for the Mobile Dental Clinic, is a partnership between Northwest Community Healthcare in Arlington Heights, and Elk Grove, Palatine and Wheeling townships. The clinic provides free or low-cost dental care for residents of the three townships who otherwise could not afford it.
“This was kind of typical of the spirit of Dr. Schroeder,” O'Connell said.
Hayes said he and Schroeder maintained a very close relationship — both personal and professional — since Schroeder encouraged him to run for Arlington Heights trustee in 1991. They worked well together as elected officials, and Schroeder later ran Hayes' campaign for village president.
“I really valued his friendship and his mentorship,” Hayes said.
But it was Schroeder's religious devotion that guided his life, as demonstrated through his speech given in February at the Mayor's Community Prayer Breakfast in Arlington Heights, Hayes said. There, Schroeder spoke about the importance of focusing on God during times of crisis.
“None of us knows how many chapters we have left,” Schroeder said during the speech. “Life is short, so focus on having an eternal perspective and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.”
Schroeder and his family carried that message with them through the last few months during his struggle with cancer, Emily Schroeder said.
“As a family, we are grateful that he has healed now and that he's in heaven,” she said. “We would love to thank the community for the prayers and support and for lifting up our family.”
Funeral arrangements are pending.