Cover photo for Tony Schlaeger's Obituary
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1943 Tony 2019

Tony Schlaeger

January 13, 1943 — November 14, 2019

Herman Tony Schlaeger, 76, of Charleston, died Thursday, November 14, 2019 after a 4-month battle with pancreatic cancer. Born January 13, 1943, he was the son of the late Herman and Cordie Standridge Schlaeger and grew up in Cleveland, graduated from Bradley Central High School in 1961, and received a B.S. in Animal Science from Texas A&M University in 1965. He was an award-winning member of the Texas A&M Livestock Judging Team and an inductee of the Saddle and Sirloin Society.
Early in life he developed a love for all animals, especially horses, while spending summers with his grandfather in the North Georgia mountains, and he was happiest when he was tending to the mamas and their babies. He learned the basics of horse care as a teenager working for David Neil at Blythewood Farm in Cleveland. He applied these and his college training in working with the broodmares at Gainesway Thoroughbred Farm in Lexington, KY, and later as farm manager at Cross Creek Farm, an American Saddlebred breeding facility in Cleveland. He and owner Sally Parker took great pride in raising world-class, award-winning foals. In addition, he with his wife enjoyed a small farm near Charleston where cattle, horses, mules, sheep, dogs, cats, children, and many other critters made their homes. Schlaeger was an exemplary steward of the land and the occupants thereof which he believed God had entrusted to his care. He held other jobs, but those were primarily a means to support his love of nature.
He was a member of Broad Street United Methodist Church, had been on the Board of Farm Bureau, and participated in several other civic and social organizations. He was also a veteran having served in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam Conflict.
He is survived by his wife of 53 years Jeanette Manly Schlaeger; two daughters, Elizabeth (Karen) Schlaeger of St. Louis, MO; Susan (Brant) Holt of Signal Mountain, TN; three granddaughters, Emily, Ashley, and Lauren Holt of Signal Mountain; his sister Lala (Lynn) Davis of Charleston, and eleven nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be made to the Bradley County 4-H programs operated by the UT Extension service. Checks may be made out to “TN 4-H Foundation” with a memo line of “4-H Bradley Co.” and mailed to TN 4-H Foundation, 205 Morgan Hall, 2621 Morgan Circle, Knoxville, TN 37996-4510. Alternately, memorials may be made to the Unity Center, a youth ministry of Broad Street UMC, P.O. Box 3, Cleveland, TN 37364.
The Schlaeger family expresses gratitude to Dr. Louis Lambiase, Dr. Larry Schlabach, and the staff of Hospice of Chattanooga for their excellent care.
The family will receive friends in the Commons of Broad Street United Methodist Church on Saturday, November 23, 2019, from noon until 2 PM with a Celebration of Life following in the church sanctuary at 2:15 PM. Committal of his ashes in the Chatata Valley New Friendship Cemetery will take place at a later date.

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