Jerry Michael Schroy

Jerry Michael Schroy, age 86, of Ballwin, Missouri, passed away peacefully on September 22, 2026, surrounded by his family.

Jerry is survived by his wife of 57 years, Barbara (Meyrose); his children, Cathy Schroy, David (Jennifer) Schroy, and Mark (Rachael Cebulski) Schroy; his sister, Kay Schroy; his sisters-in-law, Myrna Schroy and Jeanne (Meyrose) Ferner; Ashton Cebulski, to whom he was "Bob"; and many cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Lloyd and Georgia (Kostoff) Schroy; his brother, John Schroy; his sister and brother-in-law, Mary and John Beck; his sister-in-law and brothers-in-law, Patricia and Joe Werkmeister and Mike Ferner.

Jerry was born on November 6, 1939, in Dayton, Ohio, the oldest son of Lloyd and Georgia Schroy. He was proud of his Macedonian heritage, which came from his mother, who emigrated to America when she was seven.

He attended the University of Cincinnati through its co-op program and trained at National Cash Register. Jerry spent most of his career as a chemical engineer with Monsanto Chemical Company, retiring at age 60 from Solutia, a Monsanto spin-off. He was so smart that people often called him "Dr." Though he never earned a traditional PhD, he was an expert in his field and well respected by his colleagues. He climbed the ladder at Monsanto to senior fellow and his colleagues were never shy about telling his children how smart Jerry was!

Jerry married the love of his life, Barbara, on a cold January morning in 1969 in St. Louis. He showed her the world, starting with Columbia, Tennessee. They also lived in Hicksville, New York, and Buffalo Grove, Illinois, before returning to Barbara's hometown of St. Louis and settling in Ballwin. They raised three children together, and he showed them the world, too. Every year the family took a three-week vacation around the United States (and Canada). His frequent flier miles took Barbara to London and helped his children take trips of their own.

Although Jerry worked a lot and traveled even more for work, he was as present in his children's lives as he could be. Whether he was driving Cathy to high school every day, taking David to Kennedy football games to record stats, or teaching Mark to fish, he was there. He often brought home Hard Rock Café t-shirts from the cities he visited, and his kids all had quite the collection!

Ever the workaholic, Jerry retired early, and his family wasn't sure how he would handle it. He kept busy playing cards on his computer, wood turning, and, most importantly, serving as Barbara's social secretary. He started a consulting firm, CADAMA & Associates, LLC (for CAthy, DAvid, and MArk). The name got more use labeling his turned bowls, pens, and vases than it ever did on engineering work. Barbara also dragged him to history museum courses, movies, the theater, the symphony, and other outings to keep him from becoming a hermit.

Jerry was an avid card player who enjoyed Euchre, pinochle, poker, and bridge, among other games. He taught Barbara to become an excellent bridge player by never following the traditional conventions, and they often placed first, second, or third in their couples' bridge groups. Jerry and Barbara also joined a bowling league together, and he kept bowling even after an injury ended her bowling career. He loved to fish, too, and looked forward every year to a fishing trip with his work colleagues.

Jerry was an early adopter of new technology. The family always had a computer, including a Timex Sinclair 1000 in 1982! New gadgets often entered the house as anniversary, birthday, or Christmas gifts for Barbara, much to her chagrin. She was among the first of her friends to own a microwave, a VCR, and a bag cell phone among many other contraptions. He also loved watches! In his final years, he could often be found wearing two or three (or more) on his wrist. When asked why, he answered, “to confuse people.”

Jerry was a true family man who worked hard to provide for his wife and children. We are honored to have been able to care for him at home these past few years. Jerry is now at peace and once again whole. He has gone up, up, and away with those beautiful baloooons.

The family thanks the staff of Mercy Hospice for their compassionate care.

Services: Funeral mass at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Manchester Friday, October 2, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. Mass. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association. Visitation at the SCHRADER Funeral Home and Crematory, 14960 Manchester Road at Holloway, Ballwin, Thursday, October 1, 2026 from 4-8 p.m. Friends may sign the family’s on-line guestbook at Schrader.com.