Fred Scherer Jr.

Fred Lincoln Scherer Jr. was born July 20, 1949, and died Wednesday, March 15, 2025, surrounded by his loving family and friends at Mercy Hospital Southeast in Cape Girardeau.

Fred was the son of Fred Lincoln Scherer Sr. and Alice Lee Scherer Gardner. He was preceded in death by both his mother and father; stepfather, Dempsey Gardner; mother- and father-in-law, Louie and Sylvia Perry; brother-in-law, Mike Perry; and wife, Rozella.

He married the love of his life, Christy Perry in 1976, who survives of the home. Also surviving are sons, Lincoln (Allie) Scherer and Gabe (Janice) Scherer; four grandchildren, Linc, Sterling, Louie and Ellie Scherer; sisters, Susan (Don) Friese and Teresa (Mike) Wells; brother, Scott (Laura) Scherer; nephews, Wesley, Winston, Adam, Peter, Sam, Will, Greg, Bert and Russell; niece, Miya; and extended family, Buddy (Connie) Gardner and Carolyn (Victor) Gardner Mireles and family.

Fred was a proud 1967 graduate of Sikeston High School. He graduated from Westminster College in Fulton in 1971. In 1975, he graduated from the Kansas City School of Law with a Juris Doctor.

In 1986, Fred was selected to be one of the first members of the Agriculture Leadership of Tomorrow Program. He was a 28-year member of the Bell City Rotary Club. He was on the board of education at Bell City School District for 27 years. He was also a member of the Advance Knights of Columbus. Aside from farming, he was also the administrator of Advance Nursing Center from 2003-2023.

Fred briefly practiced law in the 1970s, but his true passion was farming. He was a true steward of the land. To Fred, every day on the farm was a great day, even in the wettest of springs; hot, dry summers or a mud ‘em out fall. His decision to come back to the farm never wavered, and he would proudly tell you that! His nights were spent somewhere watching Lincoln and Gabe play basketball or baseball. These were by far some of Fred’s happiest years. He later proudly carried on this tradition with his grandchildren. As an adoring "Papaw" to Linc, Sterling, Louie and Ellie, he loved to spoil them with doughnuts on Saturday mornings, Trident gum and Dum-Dum suckers. His family looked to him for advice and wise counsel. It might not have always been what they wanted to hear, but they knew it came from his heart. He was a true gentleman in every sense of the word, and he will be missed every single day.

Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 18, at Morgan Funeral Home in Advance.

A funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 19, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Advance, with the Rev. Glenn Eftink officiating. Burial will follow at St. Denis Catholic Cemetery in Benton.

Memorial donations may be made to 18 Fore Life or St. Joseph Catholic Church.

Mogan Funeral Home in Advance is in charge of arrangements.