George "Lody" Lodewyk Schroeder passed away peacefully on July 30, 2024, at home with his family by his side.

Born on May 1, 1929, in Sawah-Lunto, Sumatra, Indonesia, he was the son of Carel David Schröder, a Dutch national, and Meriam Palar, a princess of a small Indonesian tribe. Following his mother's passing, Lody and his father, along with his older sisters, Meriam and Wiet, moved to the Netherlands, where his older brothers David and Carl were already studying.

Before World War II, Lody befriended a deaf Jewish family, which ignited his interest in their religion. Tragically, the family perished during the Holocaust. However, this friendship had a lasting impact on Lody, prompting him to learn more about the religion and leading to his conversion to Judaism later in life.

Lody married his high school sweetheart, Nelly van Harten, on June 26, 1952. They had five children: Carl Nicholas, Meriam Ina, David Sebastian, Yvonne Caroline, and Gerhard 'Olger' Lodewyk. He was predeceased by Nelly (February 5, 2024), and his three sons, Carl (2013), David (1993), and Olger (1996).

In search of better educational opportunities for their three deaf children, Lody and Nelly applied for a U.S. visa in early 1963. When informed that the process would take ten years, Lody took it upon himself to write a letter directly to President John F. Kennedy—detailing a school for his deaf children and a sponsor. President Kennedy arranged to expedite the process, and three months later, in September 1963, the Schroeder family moved to suburban Washington, D.C.

Lody's professional career spanned five decades. He first worked for Shell Oil Company in the Netherlands. After he and his family moved to the United States, he joined his brother Carl's carpentry practice. Subsequently, he became a computer operator at the University of Maryland, a position he held for 22 years. Following his retirement, he worked as an equipment technician for five years at Doctors Community Hospital in Maryland.

A polyglot, Lody was fluent in American Sign Language (ASL) and Nederlandse Gebarentaal (NGT), as well as Dutch, German, English, Hebrew, French, and Chinese. In 1961, he earned the title of Deaf Dutch Chess Champion. He enjoyed reading, crossword puzzles, Sudoku puzzles, and other intellectual pursuits for leisure.

A dedicated supporter of both his native Netherlands and his adopted United States of America, Lody was an active voter. In his free time, Lody engaged with the Metro Washington Association of the Deaf (MWAD) and the Washington Society of Jewish Deaf (WSJD) in different capacities, such as a writer and board member. His volunteer work led to his induction as an honorary member of the Kappa Gamma Fraternity at Gallaudet University.

In October 2017, Meriam, his daughter, and her wife, Kathy Fairfield, bought a house in The Villages, Florida, for him and his wife, Nelly, to enjoy in their retirement. There, he actively participated in various community activities, including water volleyball, chair volleyball, card games, golf, billiards, table shuffleboard, darts, and table tennis.

Lody is survived by his daughters, Meriam I Schroeder (Kathy) and Yvonne Price (Cole); four grandchildren, Justin Schroeder, Vivienne Schroeder (Travis Clevenger), Michael Price (Nicole), and Deborah Price; and two great-granddaughters, Delilah Clevenger and Magnolia Clevenger.

Lody and Nelly, his wife of 71 years, will be laid to rest alongside their sons and other family members in the North Sea. A memorial service to honor both will take place at Gallaudet University in Washington, DC, and The Village, Florida, in Spring 2025. Details about the memorials will be shared in the coming months.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions and expressions of sympathy may be sent to Meriam I Schroeder and Yvonne Price at 2605 Caruthers Path, The Villages, FL 32163. Charitable donations may be made in Lody's name to the Washington Society of Jewish Deaf online or by mail at the following address: WSJD ℅ Scott Recht, 4620 N Park Avenue 402W, Chevy Chase, MD 20815.