AMES, Iowa — Years after Dale Schroeder died, 33 strangers gathered around the carpenter's old lunch box to celebrate the man who helped them get to college.
CBS affiliate station WKRG said Schroeder grew up poor, never married and worked as a carpenter at the same Des Moines business for 67 years. About 14 years ago, Schroeder's friend and lawyers Steve Nielsen said he walked into his office and said "I never got the opportunity to go to college and so I'd like to help kids go to college."
Turns out, the frugal, two pairs of jeans man had close to $3 million saved to help fund college tuition. WKRG said Schroeder left behind a rusty Chevy truck and instructions to send small-town Iowa students to college.
One of those people was Kira Conrad, who said she was "stuck" after having the grades but not the money for schooling to be a therapist. CBS affiliate station KCCI said Conrad never met Schroeder, but he changed everything for her.
"For a man that would never meet me, to give me basically a full ride to college, that's incredible," Conrad said. "That doesn't happen."
KCCI said 33 Iowans were able to start their careers with no college debt. The only string attached to the gift is that they "pay it forward."
Schroeder's account just ran out of money after paying the full $80,000 tab for Conrad and 32 other people, who became doctors, teachers and therapists.
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