Larry Allen Schroth was born March 17, 1950, at Tilden, to Clair William and Lorraine Alberta (Forbes) Schroth.
He was raised on a farm two miles southwest of Brunswick and attended Brunswick Public School through his freshman year, playing basketball, football and baseball. He graduated from Plainview High School in 1968. He attended Brunswick Community Church as a child, where he earned many Sunday School attendance pins and was baptized in the Elkhorn River in 1963. He joined the Brunswick Congregational Church in 1984. Larry married Sandra Beed at Crawford Valley United Methodist Church at rural Plainview on Oct. 9, 1971.
Larry and Sandy resided in Brunswick, where they raised three children, Melissa Anne, Angela Jo and Nickolas William. They celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2021. Larry went to work at Contois Body Shop in Neligh in 1970 and worked there until 1982 as a registered Ford Motor Company technician, also farming with his father. He then went to work for Antelope County Road Department, operating a motor grader and driving truck for 38 years, until his retirement Feb. 1, 2020. He was proud of his Class A commercial driver’s license. He was a member of the Brunswick Volunteer Fire Department, retiring from the department after 47 years of service in 2015.
Larry loved motorcycles, classic cars and old farm tractors. He restored each of his children’s first vehicles, as well as his 1974 Firebird and was able to fulfill his dream of owning a Corvette. He enjoyed taking the 81 ‘Vette to car shows for several years and was proud of the many trophies displayed in his “NASCAR room.” He loved watching NASCAR races on TV and was able to attend two races, signing his name on the finish line of the Kansas Speedway.
Larry was a collector. He collected model cars, including classics and NASCAR race cars, along with model farm tractors, Budweiser steins, koozies and baseball caps . He enjoyed finding old bottles, either unearthed at abandoned homesites or picked up at antique stores and garage sales.
Larry and Sandy enjoyed riding motorcycles and took several trips on his Honda Gold Wing and Honda Shadow. They belonged to the Nite Out Riders of Northeast Nebraska, joining friends on rides to area restaurants on Thursday evenings; and the Retreads, attending rallies and participating in area parades. Larry was diagnosed with colon cancer in October 2020, fighting the disease for nearly three years. He died Aug. 5, 2023, at his home in Brunswick, surrounded by his family.
Larry was preceded in death by his parents, Clair and “Toots” Schroth, and his father-in-law, William Beed. He is survived by his wife of nearly 52 years; daughters, Melissa and Chad Pittet of Brunswick, Angela Dickinson and Scott Bartels of Friend; son, Nickolas and Bonnie Schroth of Plainview; five grandsons, Austin Pittet, Cole Dickinson, Clay Dickinson, (Josie Hulfe), Cade Bartels and Wyatt Schroth; four granddaughters, Amanda and Marcus Peter, Charley Pittet, Emilee Schroth and Kendra and Paul Johnson; and five great-grandchildren, Bode, Laikyn, Huxen, Tucker and Whitaker, with the sixth expected in August; mother-in-law, Marjorie Beed of Neligh; sisters-in-law, Vicki and Walter Richart, Tami and Mike Kester and Trish and Terry Smith, all of Neligh; brother-in-law, Mike and Janet Beed of Clearwater and many nephews, nieces and cousins.
The funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 9, at Brunswick Congregational Church with Pastor Robert Moore officiating. Interment will be in West Willowdale Cemetery. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.beyersnidermemorialfh.com. Arrangements by Beyer Snider Memorial Funeral Home in Clearwater.
