Ray Schroeder

Ray Lee “Fritz” Schroeder was born to Neal and Marie (Classen) Schroeder on June 13, 1934, at home NE of Fairview, OK.  He passed from this life in his home on July 1, 2020.

When Fritz was 5 years old, they moved to the farm north of Cleo Springs.  He attended Ruby School for 8 years.  He always said he walked up the hill to school and up the hill back home.  As a child, Fritz helped his family raise watermelons, which was their main source of income. He graduated from Cleo Springs High School in 1952.  He married Colleen Smith on December 15, 1955.  They had 3 children, Steve, Debbie and Stan.  He joined the army in 1956 and was honorably discharged in 1958. He then worked in oil filed related jobs where he discovered his love for dozers.

Fritz farmed and ranched his whole life.  He earned the Oklahoma State Young Farmer Award in 1975.  Fritz married Connie Jo Bowers, November 25, 1986 to which he gained 2 more sons, Clint and Doug.

Fritz served on the Major County Historical Society Board and enjoyed working at the Threshing Bee every year.  He loved his Tonka Toy--dozers--as well as dozer blades on his tractors.  He cleared many a tree on the land he farmed. John Deere was a household name, which included the colors of yellow and green.  In the wintertime you would find him dozing his neighbors driveways and pulling cars out of the ditch.  The first year Fritz and Connie were married, there was a total of 28 mishaps/wrecks between their kids, grandkids and themselves.

Later in life, you would find Fritz and Connie at any event their grandchildren were involved in from sports, graduations, birthday parties, pageants, and everything in between.  They enjoyed bus trips to live concerts, which included the casino, and were experts at casino hopping to earn their free play and gifts.

Fritz and Connie enjoyed dumpster diving, well Fritz did anyway, and sometimes these treasures were paraded around town on the back of his farm pickup.  He loved being ornery and wearing his many hats. He even transported a dead deer on the hood of his Cadillac all the way to Waynoka wearing one of them.  Many family nights were spent on the patio, in the shed, or at the tent.  Fox News ran 24 hours a day and he loved handing out his 2020 Trump bills.

Fritz is survived by his wife, Connie of the home, his daughter in-law Songcha Schroeder, daughter, Debbie & Jeff Crissup, sons, Stan Schroeder, and Clint & Robyn Bishard, 15 grandchildren, and 6 great grandchildren.  Sisters, Joyce and Clark Newton, Juanita Case, and brother, Virgil Schroeder.

He was preceded in death by his parents, sons, Steve Schroeder and Doug Bishard, and granddaughter, Miranda Bishard.

Memorials may be given to the Local Disabled American Veterans through the funeral home.

Family visitation will be Sunday 5-7 at Fritz and Connie’s home in Cleo.

Memorial service will be Monday, July 6, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. at Cleo Springs Church of the Nazarene.

Arrangements are by Lanman Funeral Home, Inc of Helena. www.lanmanmemorials.com  Facebook:  Lanman Funeral Home Inc.