Darryl Allan Schroeder
April 3, 1946 — July 29, 2026
Darryl Allan Schroeder died suddenly on July 29, 2026, aboard a flight to Paris. He was 80, headed to Johannesburg for a two-week bow hunting safari. He never made that hunt, but it was a testament to the way he lived his life – he never stopped living. He never slowed down – he loved life.
“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming ‘Wow! What a Ride!'”
He was born on April 3, 1946 in Houston, Texas, where he spent his entire life.
He graduated from Lamar High School in 1963 and from the University of Houston in 1969, working full time throughout. He was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon and Alpha Phi Omega as well as served in the Cougar Guard. He also attended UH Law School. He later served as President of the UH Cougar Foundation and on the UH Alumni Board. The University of Houston was special to him. He was a “Coog for Life.” In 2016, following a lead gift from Darryl and Lori toward the baseball clubhouse and player development center, the University renamed Cougar Field as Darryl & Lori Schroeder Park.
He met his wife, Lori, in 1997 at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and they married on November 6, 2008 in Houston.
His long and prosperous career was in commercial real estate development, oil and gas fabrication, construction, and steel. His most recent pursuit was developing the Bayou City Gun Club on his ranch near Brazoria.
He hunted, fished offshore, and played golf. He loved fast cars, boating, racing boats, waterskiing, and recently learned to wake surf.
He was a longtime pilot, instrument and multi-engine rated. No one landed a plane better than he did.
His lifelong love of playing softball never stopped and his teams won the Senior World Series several times. He played softball the day before his last flight.
Some of his favorite things were playing games like farkle, craps, and blackjack. He loved traditions and holidays, especially preparing meals for his family and friends on Thanksgiving and Christmas. His famous chili deserves a mention.
He joined the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in 1992 where he served on numerous committees and became a Director in 2002. He created the Ram’s Club BBQ tent in 2004, chaired the Lamb & Goat Auction Committee in 2005-2007, became a Tejas Vaqueros in 2008, served as Vice President in 2009-2011, and was thereafter became a Lifetime Vice President.
He served on the boards of the Houston Police Foundation, the Rams Club, and the KCEF Foundation, and was past President and Treasurer of Harris County Senior Softball. At Royal Oaks Country Club he was President of the Men’s Golf Association and a member of the Board of Directors. He supported Ducks Unlimited, Citizens for Animal Protection, Children’s Charity, Men of Distinction, Helping Heroes, Victory Houston, Waking the Passion, the Westview School, Ryan’s World, and many other organizations. For Noah’s House, he donated the land and built a fifty-room residence for older adults with intellectual disabilities, along with a 24-passenger bus.
He is survived by his wife, Lori Schroeder; their children, Scott Schroeder, Jill Schroeder, Christian Schroeder, Carrie Knight, Kristin Massey and spouse Jeff Goldberg, and John Blackmon; and six grandchildren, Haley, Niccolas, Dylan, Jules, Dakota, and Landon; along with countless cousins with whom he was very close.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Leonard and Opal Schroeder, and his two sisters, Joyce Birkeland and Gloria Williams