Anthony L. Schuetze

Anthony (Tony) L. Schuetze, Jr., cherished husband, father, grandpa, brother, uncle and friend, passed away on December 4, 2024, at the age of 81. Born in Omaha on January 8, 1943, Tony leaves behind a legacy full of humor, an unconditional love for his family and an incredible work ethic.

At the age of 19, Tony married the love of his life, Diane Preiner, to whom he was married for 61 years. Together, they had four children, eight grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren.

Tony served in the US Navy for 4.5 years on the U.S.S. WASP (CVS-18), an anti-submarine Essex-class aircraft carrier that played a major role during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 where Tony visibly passed by a Soviet Union ship. Tony’s ship was also responsible for aiding in the recovery of five manned NASA Gemini space capsules. In December of 1965, Tony became a distinguished member of the Exalted Order of SPREX (Space Recovery Experts) for his participation in the recovery of Gemini GT 7-6, a spaceflight where two crew members spent nearly 14 days in space. 

Following the Navy, Tony became a Machinist and later a Supervisor at Vickers where he built hydraulics parts for more than 40 years. During this time, he also earned a certificate in heating, air conditioning and appliance repair and worked nights and weekends to earn extra money to take his family out to dinner and on vacations. 

Tony was an avid Husker fan and passed along his love for football to his children. He’s remembered for being a skilled athlete who enjoyed playing football, softball, darts and golf. He’s also known for being extremely lucky, not only getting one but three hole-in-ones!

Tony loved surprising his family with random gifts, from candy bars and clothing to Barbie jeeps, and, yes, even cheeseburgers for his beloved dogs. He was a generous, kind-hearted and humble man with a big, booming voice. He had a knack for making people laugh, whether intentional or not. He also had an amazing gift for forgiveness and an abundance of friends. He treasured family time spent in Okoboji, especially going on deer runs and nights around the campfire where he would enjoy drinking his Bud Light, searching for satellites and looking at the moon. 

He will be deeply missed by those he leaves behind, including his wife: Diane; sister: Mary Schuetze; children: Craig Schuetze (Sheri), Denise Hauger (Dan), Jill Coyle (Kenny) and Jamie Karstetter (Darin); his grandchildren; great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his brother: John Schuetze and parents: Anthony Leo Schuetze, Sr. and Loretta Epperson. 

The family will host a Visitation from 4:30-6:30 pm on Monday, December 9, 2024, with a 6:30 pm Rosary at Roeder Mortuary 108th Street Chapel. A Memorial Mass will take place at 10:30 am on Tuesday, December 10, 2024, at St. Elizabeth Ann Catholic Church located at 114th & Fort Street in Omaha, NE followed by a luncheon. The family will have a private burial at a later date.

Roeder Mortuary, Inc. - 108th Street Chapel - 2727 N 108th St - Omaha, NE - 402-496-9000

www.RoederMortuary.com