Imogene “Gene” Alberta Schrader-Nutter, met her Savior Jesus on August 21, 2024. She had enjoyed her stay at Cedar Cove Assisted Living in Cedarville, Michigan, for one and a half years, ministering there as she had all her life for the glory of our God.
Gene was born to Henrik Bernard and Annie Henderson Strand in Madison, Wisconsin, on November 1, 1930. She lived there with three women, her grandma, Josephine Strand, Aunt Dagny Strand, and her mother. Her father died when she was three years old and the three women raised her, encouraging her to play piano, accordion, and brass instruments in the Salvation Army band. She graduated from Madison East High
School and then attended the Salvation Army training college in Chicago, Illinois. She met her future husband playing in the Salvation Army band in Madison, Wisconsin. She married Robert Schrader in 1951, then moved to Marquette, Michigan, for their first pastoral assignment. Both she and her husband were ordained by the
Salvation Army, serving churches in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and Michigan City, Indiana.
Gene and Bob left the Salvation Army in 1966 and accepted a position as facilities managers at Cedar Campus, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship’s training camp in Cedarville, Michigan. They raised their two daughters Marcia and Lynne there from 1966 to 1978, and adopted their son, Paul, from South Korea during that time. They were very active at the First Union Church in Cedarville. After leaving Cedar Campus, they owned a construction business together and Gene also taught, counseled and served as librarian at Les Cheneaux Community Schools. They moved briefly to Brimley, Michigan, pastoring the Congregational Church there. Gene counseled grade schoolers at Brimley Public School. They retired in 1995, and moved home to Cedarville, often traveling with a group called Mission Builders connected with Youth with a Mission (YWAM). They traveled and volunteered at YWAM sites in Hawaii, Australia, South America, and Florida, and started spending winters in Florida. Bob became ill and died in 2006. After living alone for six years, Gene remarried at 82. She and Neil H. Nutter enjoyed eight great years together. Neil died four years ago, and Gene settled into an apartment attached to daughter Marcia’s home in Cedarville. She moved into assisted living in December 2022.
Gene loved to read, sing, lead choirs and bible studies, and preach and counsel any and all who needed her help. She loved her dogs, crossword puzzles, traveling, Wheel of Fortune, and Jeopardy. Her home always had an open door for food and fellowship, along with counseling.
Gene is survived by her children, Marcia (Norman) Perkins of Cedarville, Lynne (Timothy) Ensworth of Blue Hill, Maine, and Paul Schrader (Erin) Hazelgrove of Glen Allen, Virginia; grandchildren, Jason (Karen) Perkins, Hilary (Justin) Reitenour, Matthew Ensworth, Henry Ensworth, Louisa (Jeff) Corson, Ben Hazelgrove and Emily Hazelgrove; great-grandchildren, Brittany (Logan) McMillan, Jayci (Ian) McInnis, Matthew Perkins, Noah, Jacob, Judah, Bella, and Timmy Ensworth, Jack and Sam Koch, Hayden, Harper, and Charley Corson; a great-great-granddaughter due in October to Logan and Brittany McMillan; beloved sister-in-law, Marian Redders; many cousins, nieces and nephews whom she loved to communicate with and write letters to.
Gene was preceded in death by her husbands; parents; numerous loved sisters and brothers-in-law; cousins, a few nieces and nephews, and two great-grandchildren, Grace Reitenour and Daniel Perkins, who did not survive birth.
Family Life Funeral Homes assisted the family with arrangements. Condolences may be left to the family at www.familylifefh.com.
