January 10th, 1934 - January 2nd, 2024
Max Schroeder, 89, of Boulder, Colorado passed away Tuesday, January 2nd, 2024.
Max was born on January 10th, 1934 to Marian W. and Harold A. Schroeder in Caldwell, Kansas. He was raised in Newton, Kansas for the first 12 years followed by a move to Larned, Kansas where he attended high school.
He is survived by his wife Kay Schroeder of 38 years, a son Steven in Harlingen, Texas, a daughter Julia L. Skadowski of Norcross, Georgia, stepsons Malcolm Forward of Golden Valley, Minnesota, and Kent Forward of Half Moon Bay, California.
He served 4.5 years in the U.S. Air Force where he received training and worked in radio electronics. He served 17 months in Germany and completed his enlistment at Warner Robins Air Force Base in Warner Robins, Georgia.
Max was a graduate of Fort Hays State University where he received Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Zoology and a minor in botany. He also completed additional post non-degree graduate courses in aquatic biology and aquatic entomology at Colorado State University.
After graduation in 1963 he worked as a research biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Denver Wildlife Research Center and Regional Office of Endangered Species until his retirement in 1994. Max had a wonderful and fulfilling career studying various species of birds, rodents and small predators in several locations. He moved to a field location in Fort Collins, Colorado in 1968 where he worked for several years in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service studying the effects of herbicide treatments on small bird, mammal and plant populations found in the sagebrush rangelands in Wyoming. He was also instrumental in starting and overseeing a program conducting searches for the black-footed ferret on lands occupied by prairie dog colonies. The program ultimately led to a comeback of this critically endangered species that was thought to be extinct at the time.
A passionate outdoorsmen, his favorite hobbies included bird watching, tying flies, fly fishing, hunting, photography and cooking.
He was a Life Member B.P.O. Elks, member of Trout Unlimited, Boulder Flycasters, National Rifle Association, The Nature Conservancy, Audubon Society, Duck’s Unlimited, and Grace Commons Church, Boulder, Colorado. He also maintained an active membership in the Green Mill Sportsman club and the Tight Lines Heaven Fishing club.
Funeral Services will be held at 10:00 am, Wednesday, January 10th, 2024 at Grace Commons Church, 1820 15th St, Boulder. Interment will be in Greenhill Cemetery, 455 North 15th Street, Laramie, Wyoming.
Remembrances can be made in Max's name through contributions to The National Audubon Society.
