Wayne Stroder

Wayne Stroder, 75, of Oak Ridge passed away Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016, at his home.

He was born May 29, 1940, in Crump to Hilbert E. and Francis “Beryl” Huffman Stroder. He first married Barbara Dudley and they had four children. He and Kathie Lawson were married Nov. 29, 2003, in Leopold, Missouri.

Wayne worked several years at the General Motors Plant in Flint, Michigan. In 1981, he relocated to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he met his wife, Kathie, while working at the Sawgrass Recreation Park.  In 2003, they purchased a farm in Oak Ridge, where Wayne began his third career — training mules and horses as work animals. He also competed in county fairs with his mule team.

Wayne had a flair for hand-churning his delicious homemade ice cream. He also enjoyed making molasses cookies and taking them to shut-ins and nursing home residents. He attended the Cape County Cowboy Church.

Loving survivors include his wife of 12 years, Kathie of Oak Ridge; his children, Rocky (Cindy) Stroder of Oak Ridge, Terry (Glenna) Stroder of Clewiston, Florida, Gene (Donna) Stroder of Silva, Missouri, and Chrissi (David) Schulz of Evansville, Indiana; two stepsons, Josh (Kelsie) Swartzell and Erik Swartzell, all of Jackson; two brothers, Kelly (Donna) Stroder of Hillsboro, Missouri, and Kenny (Connie) Stroder of High Ridge, Missouri; three sisters, Jackie Johnson of Durham, North Carolina, Mary Lou (Wayne) Estes of Jackson and Kathy (Larry) Bast of Fenton, Missouri; 12 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. today at McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson.

The funeral will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at the funeral home, with the Rev. David Schulz officiating. Burial will be in Russell Heights Cemetery in Jackson.

The family appreciates memorial contributions to McCombs Funeral Home to help with funeral expenses.

Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.mccombsfuneralhome.com.