Johnny Ray "John" Schroder Sr.

1949 - 2024

Johnny Ray Schroder, Sr., 74, of rural Taylor, Neb., passed away unexpectedly at his home on Sunday, March 31, 2024.

Johnny Ray Schroder, Sr. was born in Ainsworth on Sept. 19, 1949, to Alfred Eldon and Laura Faye (McCarthy) Schroder. He spent his childhood in Rock County on the family ranch, the Plainview area, a ranch near the Calamus Lake, and his parents' ranch near Taylor.

John loved fishing and hunting and shared lots of stories about using his imagination to create toys and adventures alike. He knew from an early age that he wanted to be a cowboy and started learning those skills by working closely with his dad, Alfred. John was known to ride his horse into Taylor on a Saturday night in high school, hoping to have some fun with his friends.

After graduating from Loup County High School in 1967, John decided to venture westward with his friend, Tim Naab. They had grand plans to see the world and maybe ride some great horses along the way. John made it to Grant County and started working on ranches and following his dreams of being a cattle baron.

He learned how to drive horses and became quite skilled at feeding cattle and sweeping hay with his team of horses. John learned about shoeing horses, taking care of cows, breaking colts, and going on overnight cattle drives. John learned to work cattle, and knew he had found his passion, even working side by side with his future father-in-law, learning how to build fences and a proper box corner.

It was in Grant County where John met his future wife, Sandy Blakey. John and Sandy fell hard and fast in love and started making plans for their future and family. John and Sandy married in Hyannis, Nebraska on June 7, 1969, and immediately moved to their first home deep in the Sandhills. It was here that they welcomed their first son, Johnny Ray Schroder, Jr., and they were excited to build their family.

Life took John and Sandy to Holt County where John found work in feedlots and it was here that they welcomed their daughter, Michelle Rae Schroder, and they raised blue heeler dogs and trained Shetland ponies for their kids.

John loved to calf rope and often found himself roping with others at roping events in Atkinson. John loved his calf roping horses and took pride in training them. He loved reading horse training books, talking with cowboys he trusted and respected and observing horses in all forms.

John and Sandy made their way to Springview where John learned about coon hunting with dogs and even competed in a competition. He won a three-foot-tall trophy for all of his efforts. The trophy remained in John and Sandy's living room for years.

While living in Springview, John joined the Nordon Roping Club and he enjoyed roping with his friends and teaching Johnny the tricks of the trade. John would be so proud of every buckle that Johnny won, as if he had won it himself.

John enjoyed a good horse, and he enjoyed training horses to be useful and trusted. John enjoyed teaching Johnny and Michelle, as well as well as others about 4-H and rodeos. He loved sharing his knowledge and skills about all things horses with whomever might like to learn from it. He could look at a Pitzer horse sale catalog for weeks, dreaming and shopping.

John and Sandy eventually made their way to Taylor where they worked for Harmon Ranches. John got the opportunity to run a cow/calf operation and included the whole family in the adventure. He had the opportunity to share his knowledge with his kids and eventually with his grandsons, JW and Dean Schroder.

John and Sandra eventually made the move to buy their own ranch and it was a dream fulfilled for them to have a herd of cattle to call their own and land to be proud of.

John loved following his grandkids to their activities and rodeos. Trips to National Finals Rodeos were also a must and John and Sandy has just gone to Torrington, Wyo., to watch their grandson, Dean, compete. John loved being able to be behind the chutes with his grandsons, fixing saddle bronc saddles or just being there for moral support.

John was looking forward to watching his great-grandson, John Robert (affectionately known as J) become another generation of Schroder cowboys. He was busy building that bond with J and enjoyed their time together.

John was never a man to step back from hard work. He helped his neighbors and friends whenever he could, making sure that they were not left empty-handed or without a good, mounted cowboy who knew how to use a throw rope. John had been volunteering for the Taylor Jr. Rodeo since 1981 and never missed the opportunity to contribute to the success and growth through the years. He recently celebrated 40 years of rodeos.

John was also a volunteer for the Loup County Fire and Rescue Squads and he was honored with a plaque for 45 years of volunteering. While Johnny and Michelle were in 4-H, John served as a horse leader and continued to share that knowledge and skills with JW and Dean. John believed in contributing to his community and paid back as much as he could, even if it meant helping Sandy with the turtle races at the Loup County Fair.

John is survived by his loving wife of almost 55 years Sandy; son John (Belinda) Schroder of Taylor; daughter Michelle (Michael) Holm of Bellevue; grandson JW (Louise) Schroder of Hershey; grandson Dean Schroder of Taylor; granddaughter Lauren Holm of Sioux Rapids, Iowa; great-grandson John Robert Schroder of Hershey; three sisters and brothers-in-law Kathy and Doug Pollard of Taylor, Alice and Kelly Stevens of Grand Island and Ruth and Steve Burke of Colorado Springs, Colo.; and brother Ernest Schroder of Burwell.

John was preceded in death by his parents; parents-in-law Eugene and Delores Blakey; sister and brother-in-law Karolyn and Steve Graves; and sister-in-law Carol Bennett.

Funeral Services will are at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, April 4, 2024, at the Calamus Trinity Methodist Church in Burwell. Pastor Michael Loy will officiate. Burial will be in the Rose Hill Cemetery in Rock County at 2:30 p.m.

Visitation will be Wednesday, 5 to 7 p.m. at the church.

Memorials are suggested to the Taylor Junior Rodeo or Loup County Fire and Rescue Department.

Still Waters Funeral Parlor is in charge of arrangements. Condolences may be left at www.ordmemorialchapel.com.