Dakoda Schexnayder

Dakoda Ray Schexnayder, 29, of Terre Haute, IN, passed away unexpectedly on April 20, 2025—just one week shy of his 30th birthday.

Born on April 27, 1995, in Robinson, IL, Dakoda grew up in the kind of town where everyone knows your name, and he carried that same small-town sincerity with him wherever he went. He attended Robinson High School before moving to Paris, IL, and eventually putting down temporary roots in Tennessee, a place he grew to love.

Dakoda was the kind of person who didn't wait around for life to happen. He worked his way through college, doing construction for CRS Interiors, where he quickly developed a reputation for his precision. Every line had to be straight. Every corner square. Whether it was wiring a room or folding a T-shirt, he believed if something was worth doing, it was worth doing right.

He went on to earn his electrician's certification through T-CAT in Tennessee and later worked for various factories when jobs ran thin. But no job ever defined Dakoda—what defined him was his resolve. After a life-altering accident three years ago, one that rewound his mind to a childlike state, he began the long, grueling journey back toward independence. He never gave up. Not once. And recently, he achieved something remarkable: he started working again, this time at Sony DADC. A quiet miracle that spoke volumes about his strength.

Dakoda saw the world with a rare tenderness. If it was alive, he cared for it. He was the guy who caught spiders in cups and carried them outside. He gave away his food if he thought you were hungry. He asked big questions about life and God and why things in the world were the way they were—even as a child, his heart bent toward understanding.

He was quick-witted and never missed a beat when it came to slipping in a clever remark. He loved music—all kinds. When he was younger, it was rap that lit up his world. Later, it was country music that found its way onto his playlists. He loved walking, swimming, working puzzles (he could knock out a 5,000-piece like it was nothing), and chilling on the front porch. He wasn't big on crowds—he preferred peace, and the people who knew him best respected that.

He was a thinker. A creator. Before the accident, he sketched, he wrote—poetry, journal entries, whatever he could dream up. Afterward, he turned that same creativity and discipline toward mazes, puzzles, and anything that helped sharpen his focus and calm his mind. He wasn't much of a cook, but he could whip up the best soft tacos this side of anywhere. And he loved his sports, especially the Colts and anything Tennessee.

Dakoda didn't pretend to be perfect. He could get frustrated, sure. But he always circled back to kindness. He was honest—sometimes bluntly so—but he was also gentle. Peace-loving. Selfless. The kind of son who could never be replaced. The kind of brother you'd want in your corner. The kind of friend who always had a listening ear.

He was, in every sense, a good man.

He leaves behind a family who adored him: his parents, Ragena Crystal (Robinson) Yourch and Adam Joseph Schexnayder; his step-mother, Dawn Schexnayder; his brothers, Ashdon Schexnayder and Foster Miller; and a number of step-siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins who will carry his memory forward.

Dakoda will be cremated, and the Goodwine Funeral Home in Robinson is honored to assist his family during this time.