THIS CORNER'S association with Pops dates way back to the mid-30s when Schroeder operated the Gratwick Service Station and Garage in North Tonawanda. That was long before his sons, Bob and Edwin (Bud) Jr., carved tnames for themselves in international boat racing circles.
You see, Pop, in addition to being an avid racing enthusiast and a master craftsman when it came to building racing hulls, was a dyed in the wool outdoor enthusiast who loved hunting. And we were privaleged to join him on fall deer hunting ventures in the Johnsonburg sector of Pennsylvania for a number of years.
FROM 1957 through 1960, Pop was the crew chief for both Wildroot Charlie and Miss Buffalo, unlimited hydroplanes owned by a syndicate of Buffalo sportsmen and driven by Bob Schroeder. He also served as Crew Cheif for Atlas Van Lines, owned by Buffalo Launch Club member Norm Manson abd driven by Bob in 1968.
And when Bob drove Floridian Bernie Little's unlimteds Tempo and Miss Budweiser during seasonal campaigns in 1963-64-65, Pop assompanied his son as an unofficial crew member to all of his races performing neceassary hull repairs to keep the big Gold Cup jobs in top running order.
It was in 1958 that Pop, as crew cheif of Wildroot Charlie, was named to The Courier-Express Niagara Frontier Boating Hall of Fame for his oustanding contributions to boat racing.
THE CITATION noted that Pop, as crew chief of Wildroot Charlie, really had his hands full. But he was never too busy to help any unfortunate speedboat pilot - whether local or out of town - effect emergency repairs that anabled said drivers to get their wate steeds back into competition.
In fact Pop services were so much in demand during the running of Buffalo Launch Club International Regattas of the late '50s that he was kept so busy in the pits he missed missed many of the races.
POP BUILT his first racing hydroplane in 1945 in an attic over his Gratwick garage. It was a 135 class hull in which Bud, fresh out of his World War II Navy stint of duty with an amphibious landing unit, lent a helping hand, Bob, also serving with the Navy on destroyer duty, arrived home in time to help locate and install an engine in the completed hull.
Bob, who raced the 135 speedster, noted that the boat was aptly named Double Trouble. This after the Schroeders had to knock out part of the wall as well as window casements to get the hydroplane out of the attic workshop.
It was around 1954 that the senior Schroeder retried from the garage business. From there on through Pop devoted full time to repairing and building inboard and outboard racing hulls in a workshop adjacent to his riverfront home.
THE WORKSHOP and Pop's popular river launching site and docks soon became the hub of activities for boat building, repairs and testing for the area speedboat racing gentry. And the soft-spoken gentleman, one of the founding fathers and a director of both the Niagara Frontier Boat Racing Assn. and the B & T Power Boat Assn., willingly layed aside his own work to help solve the immediate problems of any of his host of boat racing friends.
Among some 35 or more limited class inboard hydroplanes and outboard racing hulls Pop skillfully fashioned were Bud's 28 class Suddenly, Bob's 225 class My Ambition and Toronto-owner Don MacDonald's Colorflame--to name few of the record-holding hulls Pop turned out.
And Lord knows how many racing hulls he repaired "free gratis" for empty- pocketed owners and drivers among the local boat racing fraternity. Might add, too, that a new 280 class hull, on which Pop was working at the time of his passing, still sits in his workshop.
He was also the recipient of the B & T's coveted Red Oldfield Memorial Trophy for his unstinting services to his fellow clubmates. Considered truly outstanding among persons who might themselves qualify as members of the "Helping Hand Society"    ---  Pop was all of that and more. 
Courtesy of Joe Glaser, Buffalo Courier-Express