Longtime municipal judge Schroeder passes away at 71

Judge Gary J. Schroeder, who was the longest-serving municipal judge in the history of Gonzales County, passed away Tuesday, June 25. He was 71.

At the time of his death, Schroeder was the municipal judge for the city of Smiley and recently celebrated 41 years as a jurist — a milestone achievement for any presiding judge.

“I know that the majority of people that come in contact with the judicial system is through the municipal courts and their impression is formed by how they are treated, be fair, follow the law and most of all use some common sense,” Schroeder said in November 2022.

A practicing attorney for 47 years, Schroeder had only been practicing law full time for about four years when he was first appointed by then-Gonzales Mayor Carol Wiley and the Gonzales City Council to be the municipal judge on Jan. 1, 1981 — which made him the youngest judge in Gonzales County history.

Schroeder served the city of Gonzales for more than 30 years before being appointed Smiley’s municipal judge. He also has served as the presiding judge for the city of Cuero for nearly a decade and worked for the City of Shiner Municipal Court for more than a quarter of a century.

In addition to practicing law, Schroeder was a cattle rancher who, along with his wife Laura, raised premium and champion Charolais bulls that were highly coveted at auction time. He was also known for his love of entertaining and cooking for guests at his ranch.

Schroeder’s family will receive visitors at Seydler-Hill Funeral Home in Gonzales on Sunday, June 30 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, July 1 at the funeral home.