LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Buck was born in Marysville, Calif., to Charles and Averil (Boyes) Schroeder.
He passed away on March 20, 2014, at age 72.
He moved as a young child with his family to Williams and then to Clearlake Oaks. On Sept. 23, 1966, he married Peggy Pember, and they moved to Clearlake, then to Kelseyville, then in 1973, they moved to Finley.
Buck belonged to the Lake County Sheriff’s Posse and was a member of the Clearlake Horsemen for almost 40 years, where he served as president and vice president two or three times. He loved horseback riding, and enjoyed many pack trips in the wilderness with the Horsemen.
Seeing new country was always high on his list of things that he liked. He never got lost, even if it was country he had never seen before. Unlike the rest of us, every tree did not look the same to him. He packed everything on his pack horse, rolled up a double bed mattress, and put it, along with a couple of lawn chairs, right on top. He always managed to keep everything on the horse, and still picked up what others had dropped along the way; then he hooked it all with his famous bungee cords.
He was a good cook, and enjoyed cooking every year for the Horsemen’s annual barbecue. He liked to try new recipes, and though he sometimes went a little heavy on the spices, it was still good, and turned out OK most of the time.
He graduated from Lower Lake High School, and has remained close to his high school friends. He and Peggy enjoyed going to “Old Timers” weekend every July, and just spending time with them.
Along with horseback riding, he liked to hunt, especially out of state. He made many trips to Idaho and Wyoming deer and elk hunting. He loved to work at the “ranch” in Paradise Cove, where they had cattle.
He was a good father, and an even better grandfather. He had a great time at the ranch with the kids and grandkids, and always made it fun. He would organize “treasure hunts” for them, let them feed (and sometimes sit on) the cows. He always managed to find a little work for all of them to do.
He showed them how to use their BB guns, whittle sticks with their pocket knives, how to run the cattle in, give them shots, etc. He also had a back hoe and dump truck, numerous tractors, and all the kids enjoyed their turn at “helping” him run the equipment.
He served in the Army when he was young, and was stationed in Manheim, Germany on the Czechoslovakian border.
He loved to do anything outdoors, and hated being cooped up in the house. He enjoyed camping, and just about any outdoor activity, but he also liked going to the theater to watch live plays.
When he and Peggy were young, went many times to see various artists in concert, such as Elvis Presley, Tom Jones, Dean Martin, The Oak Ridge Boys, Alabama, Reba McIntire and many more.
He leaves behind his wife of more than 47 years, Peggy; his daughters, Debra (Allan) Schroeder, Denise (Mark) Stirtz, Cindy Towner (Jessica) and Shelley (Matt) Coffin; and his sister, Sheila (Robert) Hayes.
He also leaves behind 13 grandchildren, Teri Hukkanen, Erika (Kevin) Stark, Charlene Gayaldo, Jeanette (Ken) Westmoreland, Paige McCarthy, Bryce McCarthy, Tiffany Coffin, Lexi Towner, Jaden Rikkelman-Boone, Jake Towner, Ashley Coffin, Colby Rikkelman-Boone and Alec Coffin; and four great-grandchildren, Olivia, Macayla, Zachary and Cannon.
He was a good friend to all who knew him, and was always willing to help just about anyone, he will be missed.
There will be a celebration of his life at noon on Saturday, April 12, 2014, at Rancho De La Fuente, 2290 Soda Bay Road, Lakeport.
