William Theodore “Bill” Schraad Sr., 87, of Edmond, Oklahoma, died Aug. 5, 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, his immediate family held a private service.
Born Dec. 31, 1932, at his parents’ home in Merrill, Iowa, he was the son of the Bernard “Ben” Schraad and Margaret Langel Schraad. As a young child, his family relocated to the small farming town of Adrian, Minnesota.
His ceaseless perseverance and entrepreneurial spirit were reflected throughout his life as he transitioned from growing up on a farm with no electricity, to joining the military, to starting a family, to founding his own business. His strong-willed nature, welcoming persona, and lifelong generosity were always felt by his family, friends and business partners; he never failed to give his grandkids a big “squeeze” when he saw them.
One of his proudest achievements was founding Schraad & Associates in Oklahoma City in 1967, now one of the largest regional food brokerages in the United States. He led with incredible skill and often worked six days a week to make sure that everything in the business was up to his high standards. He became widely known as a powerful force with a feisty sense of humor. Through 2018, he still went into the office every day to roam the hallways with his bright pink walker.
Mr. Schraad was a prominent figure in the food brokerage world, won numerous National Broker of the Year Awards and served on multiple manufacturer advisory boards. Schraad & Associates was an integral part of his life that he wanted to share with those he loved. He could always count on a visit from his grandchildren with a promise of candy from his sample room, and he passed down the passion for the brokerage business to his children. His son, Bill Jr., is now the president and CEO, and his daughter, Nancy, serves as the CFO.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Ethel; and his parents. He is survived by children, Patricia Lee, Nancy Schraad, Mary Beth Schraad (Dennis Roy), William Schraad Jr. (Elizabeth) and Jacqui Schraad; grandchildren, Katherine Lee, Steven Lee (Haley), Kristin Nicole Jevsevar (Matthew), Philip Holsted, Erin Holsted, Christopher Roy, Gillian Roy, Garrett Schraad and Hayden Schraad; great-granddaughter, Laurel Lee; sisters, Mary Schutz (Virgil) and Jane Melvin; and brothers, Thomas Schraad (Pat) and Joseph Schraad (Phyllis).
Memorials to the William and Ethel Schraad Scholarship at the Oklahoma Grocers Education Foundation would be appreciated. Checks specifying this scholarship can be mailed to: P.O. Box 18716, Oklahoma City, OK 73154.
See complete obituary here.
