Raymond “Ray” Edward Schott died at his home in Sterling on May 23, 2023. Visitation will be held Friday, June 2, 2023 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Tennant Funeral Home. A funeral service will be held Saturday, June 3, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. at Tennant Funeral Home. Interment will follow at Riverside Cemetery.

Ray was the 3rd of 6 children born to Alex and Mary (Lebsock) Schott. He was born in Atwood, Colorado on June 2, 1929, during the depression. He always references his birth year as the year all the beets froze. His mother had broken her hip while pregnant with him and had to wear a splint her doctor had made for her; she was bedridden for a number of weeks before he was born.

Ray attended Merino schools through graduation in 1947. He boasted of being a starter on the high school basketball team that made it all the way to State; he also scored 6 running touchdowns in a football game at Hillrose. He was one of Merino’s fastest runners during his high school career. He was inducted into the U.S. Army on Valentine’s Day in 1952 and served in Korea with the 1092 Combat Engineers. He was Intelligence Officer Major Wilson’s driver and on one occasion drove United Nations Commander 3-star General Mark Clark; Ray waited outside the tents at Panmunjom where General Clark signed the armistice and prisoners were exchanged in 1953. He shared many stories of harrowing experiences with his Jeep in Korea.

He returned home to the love of his life, Edna Irene Miller, who waited patiently for his return. They married on Valentine’s Day in 1954. They made their home on the Schott family farm where he resumed farming/ranching in the summers and hauling cattle in the winter. He prided himself in his nearly two million miles of hauling cattle to Denver and Amarillo. Not quite ready for retirement, he went to work for Logan County Road and Bridge Crew at the age of 50 at which time the family moved to Sterling.

Ray was a devoted son, brother, husband, father and grandfather. He revered his parents, parents-in-law and grandparents up until his death. He loved to tell stories of his family and his experiences. Once grandchildren hit the scene, he began his love of videotaping. He captured not only the grandkids on film, but he filmed his son Brian boating and waterskiing at North Sterling Reservoir. He also taped the entire move of the Schott barn to its new home at the Overland Trail Museum. He loved carving wood and had beautiful penmanship and an iconic signature. He lost his ability to sign his name later in life. Oddly enough, following his stroke in 2022, he was happy to nearly imitate his former signature.

Ray was preceded in death by his parents, brother Elmer, Sister Miriam, son Brian, and most recently his wife of 69 years, Edna. He is survived by brothers Leonard (Helen) of Sterling; Kenny (Mary) of Alliance, Nebraska; Don (Sally) currently of the Houston area; daughter Raenell Coughlin (Kelly) of Greeley; grandson Kory Chrisman of Fort Collins; granddaughter Kylie Bergmann (Erik), and great-grandsons Callan and one on the way—all of Fort Collins.

Contributions in lieu of flowers may be made in Ray’s name to either: Hospice of the Plains; Veterans of Foreign Wars, or Patriot Guard Riders c/o Tennant Funeral Home PO Box 1547, Sterling, CO 80751.