Lea Lillian (Mickey) Darbyshire Schroeder, age 97, of Waseca, Minnesota, passed away on August 31, 2021 at Colony Court Memory Care Center in Waseca, Minnesota.

Mickey was born at home in East Grand Forks, Minnesota, on February 7, 1924, to LeRoy H. and Nellie O. (Hay) Baker and grew up the fifth of ten children.  She graduated in 1941 from East Grand Forks Central High School.  On December 25, 1941, Mickey was united in marriage to Howard Alfred (Darby) Darbyshire. They lived most of their married life in East Grand Forks.  To this union, three children were born:  Merrily Ann, Bonnie Lou, and Darby Alan.  Her beloved husband, Darby, passed away on November 3, 1982.

Mickey later married Harry Schroeder on November 5, 1988.  They enjoyed 11 years of marriage until his death on December 27,1999.

Through the years, Mickey worked at a variety of jobs, including Griffith's, Black's Bakery, potato harvest, interior painting with her sister, Shirley, and Country Kitchen—where she was famously known for her homemade pies. In 1984, she opened Mickey's Sandwich Shop in the Grand Forks City Center Mall, where her menu of pies and sandwiches were popular with shoppers and mall employees.

Mickey was an avid card player, always up for a game of Pinochle or 500 Rummy, and she loved a good game of Scrabble. Birthdays were to be celebrated with parties, cakes and candles.

Her family was the joy of her life, and everyone knew they were her favorite, whether a child, grandchild, niece or nephew, and when the Baker sisters got together, oh the stories they could tell.

Left behind to mourn her loss and celebrate her life are her daughters Merrily (Doren) Wagar, Waseca, Minnesota, Bonnie (Burdette) Young, Clarion, Iowa, son Darby (Denise née Hawthorne) Darbyshire, Maple Grove, Minnesota; grandchildren Thomas (Ruth) Wagar, Beth (Lance) Oddan, Timothy (Samantha) Young, Andrew Young, MacKenzie Darbyshire (Andrew Dallman), Wyatt Darbyshire; great-grandchildren Anne, Helen, Joseph, Elliot, William, Olivia, and Carter Jon.  She is also survived by her sister, Nellie Cash, family friend Darla Martin, and stepsons Bill, Don and Tim Schroeder, as well as many beloved nieces and nephews.

Mickey is now united in Heaven with her beloved Darby; parents, siblings Letha (Roy) Zahnow, Lois (Bill) VanDeventer, Shirley (Floyd) Tack, Don (Ruth) Baker, Susan (Gordon) Olson, Tom Baker (Donna Bowen), Lee (Kay) Baker, Wallace Baker; brother-in-law John Cash; and lifelong best friend Gertrude Haase.

Funeral Service: 11:00 AM, Saturday, September 4, 2021 at the Mendenhall Presbyterian Church, 528 10 ^th St. NW, East Grand Forks, Minnesota. Service will be live-streamed on Mickey's page at www.dandahlfuneralhome.com

Visitation: 1 hour before services at the church.

Interment: Resurrection Cemetery, East Grand Forks, Minnesota

Memorials: Mendenhall Presbyterian Church for Children's Ministries