John Schoedel
John Earnest Schoedel Jr. 91, of Hamilton and Austin passed away Saturday, Aug. 6, 2022, at the Focused Care Nursing Home in Hamilton.
The family will have a memorial service and reception in his honor Saturday, Aug. 20, at 11 a.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 122 Cheyenne
Mesa, at FM 22 East, Hamilton, with Pastor Aaron Kalbas officiating. Additionally, a luncheon will be held Aug. 23 at the Pflugerville Lions Club, 500 Railroad Ave. North, Pflugerville, starting at 10 a.m. Also, John requested that his family and friends have a celebration later in the fall (when it’s cooler) in the Schoedel Barn, to get together and share stories and laughs – details to follow.
John was born in Austin on Feb. 7, 1931, to John Earnest Schoedel Sr. and Margaret Metz Schoedel. He graduated from Austin High School in 1950.
While growing up, John was a member of the football team and the FFA, worked for dairies in and around Austin and ran a paper route south of the river where he threw papers mostly from horseback. His early career included working for Hoffman Paints, later acquired by Technical Coatings Inc., where he spent 40 years of his career working in the coatings industry and retiring in 1993.
While managing the 6th Street store in Austin, May Dell Hopf, a bookkeeper at the Driskill Hotel, caught his eye. John and May Dell Hopf married on Jan. 2, 1951, in Thrall.
May Dell Hopf Schoedel passed away Oct. 3, 1989.
John and May Dell were blessed with two children, daughter Lynn Dell Schoedel Harrell and Darrell John Schoedel, both residing in Austin.
John was always an avid outdoorsman with a particular interest in ranching, as well as preserving unique old barns and historical structures for enjoyment of future generations. He continued that passion throughout his life.
On Oct. 17, 1992, John married Dorothy Seider Isensee in Hamilton.
John and Dorothy eventually settled in on their beautiful farm in Hamilton, where John began to remodel an old barn into a magical venue that would host weddings, proms, family reunions and special events over the years.
John so enjoyed giving back to the community and never missed the chance. He loved nothing better than cooking brisket and sausage for John Deere Day and chicken for Mother’s Day weekend at St. John’s Lutheran Church as well as cooking and hosting events at the Schoedel Barn.
John was a trustee at many churches and supervised many improvement projects over his life. John and his dear friend John Olsen renovated a church camp near Georgetown that is still being enjoyed today.
John was a friend to all and a man of great faith, joyfully giving of his time and creativity. You could usually find him on his tractor (in later life – always a John Deere) with the mower buzzing out at the Hamilton farm.
John was preceded in death by his parents, John Earnest Schoedel Sr. and Margaret Metz Schoedel; mother of his children, May Dell Hopf Schoedel; fathers- and mothers-in-law Paul and Selma Hopf and Alfred and Josephine Seider; sisters Helen Schoedel Sherrill and Emma Schoedel Reinert; son-in-law Milton Harrell; sisters in-law, Pauline Hopf Smith, Lenora Seider Blackman and Margie Seider; brothers-in-law Bob Smith, Otvea Sherrill, Richard Reinert, Andy Anderson, Howard Klotz, Charles Seider and Emmett Blackman; his good friend, Jimmy Gewin; and stepdaughter, Jeannette Fay Isensee Yelvington.
John is also survived by his two children and wife of 30 years, Dorothy Schoedel of Hamilton; stepdaughters Julie Wood and husband Gary Wood of Gatesville, Sharolyn Lawson and husband Billy Lawson of Hamilton; stepson John Isensee and wife Donna of Stephenville; sister Ann Anderson, sister in-law Arnell Hopf Klotz, and brother Roy Schoedel and wife Bettie Maye, all of Austin; numerous nieces and nephews and their families; 12 stepgrandchildren and their spouses and 24 stepgreat- grandchildren, whom he loved dearly.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations to St. John’s Lutheran Men’s Club, Hamilton.
