Dr. Louis Amos Schroeder (known around town as "Doc"), passed away peacefully on Saturday morning, January 31, 2026.  Lou was born on June 3, 1926, in Ottawa, Ohio, to Ben and Lucille Schroeder, lived a long, full, and very well-told life. An Ohio State graduate, Air Force veteran, esteemed veterinarian, devoted husband, and golf aficionado, Lou truly loved his life and the wife he shared it with, his Janie.

After earning his degree in veterinary medicine from The Ohio State University, Lou went on to serve his country in the United States Air Force before eventually settling in Bluffton, Indiana. There, he owned the Bluffton Animal Clinic, where he spent years caring for animals and building lasting relationships within the community. He worked hard, retired at 62, and immediately launched what he liked to consider his next profession: golf.

Golf was more than a pastime. It was a passion. Lou won numerous tournaments and became well-known on the course, earning a feature in Senior Living magazine not only for his golf game, but also for one of his favorite stories, his brush with the Dillinger gang. Whether every detail was strictly factual was beside the point. The story was excellent, and he told it often.

Lou was famous for his fantastic stories, his joke-telling, and his love of repeating both. He often laughed at his own jokes harder than anyone else, sometimes barely able to get the punchline out because he was laughing so hard himself. If you'd heard one of his stories before, that didn't matter. He was going to tell it again, and somehow it always landed just as well. Laughter followed him easily, and he never took himself too seriously.

Lou was a proud father to four children, each of whom he loved deeply. He is survived by his son, Craig (Tracy) Schroeder, and three daughters, Cynthia (Gregg) Reed, Pamela (Steven) Dupont, and Angela (Mark) Denny. His legacy continues through 16 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren, all of whom brought him immense pride, joy, and more than a little lively chaos.

Above all else, Lou loved his wife, Janie, who survives. They shared 74 years of marriage, and their life together was his greatest pride and his favorite story. Through every chapter, work, retirement, golf courses, long days, and long laughs, Janie was his constant. He loved their life, he loved their partnership, and he loved her completely. Everything good in his life was better because it was shared with her.

Lou leaves behind a life rich with love, laughter, and stories that will be told again and again, usually with a smile and often with a laugh that starts before the punchline.

Visitation will be held on Friday, February 6, 2026, from 5:00 until 6:00 PM, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 1300 North Main St. Bluffton, IN, followed immediately by a Mass of Christian Burial at 6:00 PM, officiated by Fr. David Violi.  Due to a current church renovation project, the visitation and mass will be held in the lower level of the church.  Please enter through the main entrance, where ushers and funeral home staff will be present to direct patrons to the lower level.

Goodwin – Harnish Funeral Home & Cremation Services has been entrusted with the arrangements.

Memorial contributions in memory of Lou may be directed for masses, to St. Joseph Catholic Church.