Roger Schoeb

Roger C. Schoeb, a life-long resident of St. Peter, MN, died peacefully on July 19, 2019 at the age of 82.

Funeral service will be 11:00 am Thursday, July 25, 2019 at Norseland Lutheran Church. Visitation will be 4:00 - 7:00 pm Wednesday, July 24th at St. Peter Funeral Home as well as 9:30 am Thursday at church.

Roger was born on March 9, 1937 in St. Peter, MN to Carl and Phyllis (Hart) Schoeb. He graduated from Cleveland High School in 1955 and attended Mankato State College. While attending college, he volunteered to serve in the Army Reserves, which he did for 8 years.

Roger began his professional career in Savage, MN with Minnesota Natural Gas Co.  While living in Savage, he served as a volunteer firefighter, played competitive softball, and met Myrna (Ness Karlsrud), whom he eventually married on October 12, 1972.  Over his 43 years at Minnegasco, Roger held positions in sales, business development, management and government relations.  One of his greatest joys was working with different communities, bringing natural gas into their residents homes for the first time. Working as a child in his father’s hardware store in Cleveland, MN, Roger was a curious entrepreneur. He drove truck over-the-road, built several houses, started Northland Insulation Company, served as a race official for the International 500 snowmobile race, and later a part-time farmer.

Will Rogers said “I never met a man I didn’t like.” Roger said “I never met a person I didn’t like. I just appreciated some more than others.” For decades, Roger started his day with coffee at Vena’s Café in Traverse with neighbors and friends. He was quick witted, could weave a story, tell a great joke, played a wicked game of cards, and was always on the go. He was a founding member of the University of Traverse, served on the town board for 30 years, and was a local 4-H club leader, coach and softball umpire.  To his friends, he was known to be able to fix most anything and would often come home from work only to fix equipment, furnaces, stoves, and driers of others.  He was especially known to fix grain driers of local farmers at harvest during the middle of the night.

Roger’s service to others extended beyond friends and family.  He served the Lion’s Club of St. Peter, earning him the Melvin Jones Fellow award for his dedication to humanitarian services. At Norseland Lutheran Church, he served on countless committees and as a trustee.  For years he took his post at the entry as the unofficial “official” greeter to all who attended services.

A devoted family man, he could be found on any given afternoon or evening attending one of his seven children or grandchild’s sporting events or school events. He also loved being outdoors whether it was hunting, golfing, fishing, or riding bike- several years in the MS-150.

Roger is preceded in death by his mother and father and brother Frank (Deb).  He is survived by his wife Myrna of 46 years, sons Mark (Shari) Karlsrud, of St. Peter, Karna (Dimitri) Hatzigeorgiou of Plymouth, MN, Randy (Regina) Schoeb, of Pine Hill, NJ, Mike Karlsrud, of Stillwater, Kristen (Lance) Cheney, Nampa, ID, Katrina (Gregg) Brown, of Becker, MN, David (Mary) Schoeb of Crystal, MN. He is also survived by Scott (Carrie) Schoeb and Shelley (Roy) Tubbs from a previous marriage; 24 grandchildren; and sister Rita (Jim) Seifert.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations and gifts be made to Norseland Lutheran Church memorial fund.