Richard Ray Stroud

Richard Ray Stroud, 88, formerly of Amarillo died July 7, 2022.

Visitation will be from 12-1:00 p.m., Friday, July 15, 2022 at Schooler Funeral Home, 4100 S. Georgia St. Funeral service will be at 1:00 p.m., Friday, July 15, 2022 at the funeral home. The service will be livestreamed. Please use link listed below. Interment will follow in Llano Cemetery. Arrangements are by Schooler Funeral Home.

Richard was born to J. Ernest Stroud, Sr. and Nell Hume Stroud on May 13, 1934. Richard and his younger brother, J. Ernest Stroud, Jr., were born in Clovis, New Mexico, where their father owned a welding supply business. In 1941, the family moved to Amarillo, Texas, and welcomed Timothy, Sherelle, and Gaynor over the next few years.

Richard attended Kemper Military School in Boonville, Missouri. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from the University of Colorado in Boulder, where he was a member of the Army ROTC Golden Buffalo Battalion, Ordnance Corps.

In the mid-1950s, Richard met his future wife Carol McLean through her parents, family friends Will D. and Virginia McLean. Richard and Carol were married in 1956. Carol attended UC with Richard until shortly before the birth of their first child, Carol Cynthia (Cyndi).

As an aerospace engineer and a soldier for a time, Richard moved his family to many beautiful locations, including Denver, Colorado; Seattle, Washington; Orlando, Florida; and Phoenix, Arizona. Richard’s and Carol’s daughter Kimberly Rae was born in Aberdeen, Maryland, and a few years later, their twin sons, Michael Jeffrey and William Gregory, were born in Boulder, Colorado.

In 1970, the family moved to Phoenix, where Richard and Carol opened an employee recruitment business. In 1977, Richard, Carol and the boys returned to Amarillo, while the girls attended Arizona State University. Richard opened a record and book store and later went to work for Mason & Hanger at Pantex, where he retired.

From the time he was a young boy, Richard loved the outdoors, a passion that stayed with him his entire life. He enjoyed golfing and boating. But he especially loved the mountains, where he could fish, hike, and bird watch.

Richard also became interested in personal computers as soon as they came on the scene. As PCs became more sophisticated, they provided Richard with the opportunity to design houses and buildings, which his background in structural engineering enabled him to do.

Richard was an avid vegetable gardener. He was known for growing corn, pumpkins, watermelon, tomatoes, peppers, asparagus, and more.

Richard raised his children in the Christian Church and participated in church life. When not working, he spent time with the family in outdoor activities and sports.

In their later years, Richard and Carol enjoyed feeding and watching birds on their back porch. They dreamed of building a cabin in Colorado based on plans Richard created.

Richard is survived by his children Cyndi Bloom (James), Kimberly Rosson (Alex), Greg Stroud (Diamond “Bunny”), and Mike Stroud (Deb); grandchildren Kayleigh Bloom, Alexis Stroud, Tyler Stroud, Ryan Stroud and Sean Rosson; great-grandson Reuben Lynchbloom; sister Gaynor Tucker, brother Timothy Stroud (Kitty Houlehen); nephews Charles Culp, Christopher McLean (Dawn), and Dustin Tucker (Peter Marro); and great-nephews Connor McLean and Harrison Marro Tucker and great-nieces Daelynn McLean and Destiny McLean.

Richard was preceded in death by father and mother J.Ernest and Nell Stroud; father-in-law and mother-in-law Will D. and Virginia McLean; grandson Daniel Stroud; sister Sherelle Stroud Roach, brother J. Ernest Stroud, Jr.; and wife Carol McLean Stroud.