William Scheider Obituary

William (Bill) Charles Scheider Sr. passed away peacefully at a Madison Hospital on June 2, 2025. He was born on December 12, 1936, to Royal H and Florence (Lins) Scheider in Freeport, IL. He grew up being a mischievous boy with his many cousins in "Scheiderville" near Red Oak. His childhood was full of adventures of farm life. He told stories about his early years of farming with horses, driving a tractor at a very young age as well as walking to school regardless of the weather. At age 13, he met the love of his life, Ruth Ann (Gift) Scheider. They dated off and on but always returned to each other. In 1954, Bill graduated from Orangeville High School. He talked many times over the years about his classmates and tried to attend every reunion and was very disappointed when his health wouldn't allow him to attend the last one. On March 18, 1956, Bill married Ruth in Cedarville. Shortly after, they bought Bill's parents' farm and commenced farming on their own at the tender age of 19. Over the next 69 plus years, they built their family and lifetime of adventures together. Bill's pride was the legacy he built in his ever-growing family which now includes daughters, Belinda (Don) Keech, Brenda (Tim Lobdell) Scheider, and Barb (Bruce) Stewart and son, Bill Scheider Jr. (Chrissy Greening); grandchildren Nick Williams, Amanda Williams, Micki (Shane) Lobdell, Zack (Chelsey DeVries) Ackerman, Misti (Mark) Schweertman, Royal (Aaron Schliem) Scheider, Vicki (Lane) Scherer, Cassidy Lobdell, and Donald (Kari) Stewart; and great-grandchildren are Mati Schliem-Guzman, Sophia Schliem-Guzman, Linda Niesman, Eli Schweertman, Kali Schweertman, Carrie Lobdell, Miah Ackerman, and John Schweertman. He is also survived by sister-in-law Kathy Bardell and brothers-in-law Don and Jerry (Kay) Gift and many cousins, nieces and nephews.
Bill had pride in his land and tried to be a good steward and innovator of new technology. He was the first in the neighborhood to get a no till corn planter and took much flack from friends and neighbors and how that would never work. Today, it is a common farming practice. Bill would be the first to try something just to see if it would work, moving on from those things that failed to try something else new. In addition to his work ethic, he took on many community and humanitarian roles. He followed in his father's footsteps and joined the Orangeville Masonic Lodge and became the Worshipful Master when he was only 22 years old. When his children were young, he involved himself in some of their activities by serving as a church youth group leader, Stephenson County Fair Assistant Pork Superintendent, and a supporter of 4-H. After the children were grown, he served as a Trustee of the Cedarville Fire Protection District, Building Project Manager and Board Member of the Emmanuel EC Church, Stephenson County Pork Producers where he cooked up thousands of pork chops on a grill he helped build, as well as served on the boards at Pearl City Elevator where he helped to establish the McConnell Coop, Malcolm Eaton, Richland Lutheran Cemetery, and the Red Oak United Methodist Church. He was also a charter member of the Orangeville Lions Club. Bill especially enjoyed spending time with his family and enjoyed their loud chatter, embellished stories, and laughter as well as fishing, boating which included fixing boat motors, and attending livestock sales held at Equity and Schrader Sales Barns. He enjoyed several trips in retirement that took him all over the country. In later years, he took shorter car trips including regular trips to Nora to see if the "sagging old barn" aka "their fixer upper" had fallen in yet. He also enjoyed a good meal at restaurants with his favorite being Dairy Queen. In recent months when he was mostly confined to his chair, he spent many hours looking out of a picture window in their newly built tiny house on the land he had tended for so many years and watching the crops grow, the wildlife run and the farm animals in their lots and pastures. Bill enjoyed spending time with friends and neighbors and had a abundance of people that weaved in and out of his life with each holding a special place.
Bill has now joined in death with his parents, parents-in-law Glen and Gladys Gift, great grandchild Kidd Niesman, brothers and sisters-in-law Dorothy & Ken Kramer, Marilyn Wirtjes, Harold & Phyllis Becker, Jim & Mabel Gift, Linda Gift, Lori Gift, Vic & Lois Garman, and Bill & Helene Gift.
All are invited to help celebrate his life through a visitation that will be held on Friday, June 6, 2025, from 4:00-7:00p.m. at Leamon Funeral Home in Lena with a Masonic Rite Service being held at 6:30 p.m.
Funeral services will be held at 12:00 pm on Saturday June 7, 2025, at the Zion Community Church 10100 W Sabin Church Road, Pearl City, IL 61062 with a luncheon to follow.
A graveside service will be held following the luncheon at Richland Center Cemetery near the corner of Richland and Scheider Rd near Red Oak.
Wayne Fisher and Chip Sohl will be officiating the services.
The family would like to thank the many caregivers Bill had in his final days as well as his niece Cheri Gertsch NP, Dr. Muise and his nurse, Rita, Dr. Morrison, Shannon Finn RN, and St. Marys' Hospice and staff.
A memorial has been established for Shriner's Children's Hospital.
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