October 26, 1989 ~ April 30, 2022
A celebration of life for Sterling "Ross" Dillon-Schwerdtfeger will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, May 21, 2022, at Anderson-Burris Funeral Home, with Pastor Dr. Shonn Keels of Emmanuel Baptist Church officiating.
Ross, son of Joe and Jessica (Dillon) Merkle, Kristy Boney, Danny Giager, Rod and Denise Schwerdtfeger, was born October 26, 1989, in Enid, Oklahoma. He was dedicated at the Ringwood Wesleyan Church in Ringwood, Oklahoma, on April 1, 1990. Ross was united with Our Heavenly Father on April 30, 2022, at the age of 32 years.
Ross was a beautiful soul with a crooked grin and an infectious laugh, who had a love for his family and friends that could be genuinely felt. He was a son, brother, grandson, nephew, uncle and cousin, all of which he was proud to be. Ross loved unconditionally. His kindness to others and giving spirit were what he was most known for, from the earliest of ages to the end of his life.
Ross loved being outdoors, especially anything that involved being in, on, or near the water. He loved to go tubing and water skiing on Kaw and Blue Stem lakes and was known for jumping into pools and ponds —usually without checking his pockets first. His passions in life were music and designing, building and working with wood. Ross was an accomplished guitarist and loved to lose himself in music, playing it and sharing it with his family and friends. Ross had a talent for landscape design and his love of dirt originated from working on the family farms near Capron, Oklahoma, from the age of 7, and he went on harvest crew for the first time, driving tractor and grain cart, at the age of 14. Above all though, he enjoyed being surrounded by friends and family.
He was preceded in death by his great-grandparents, Wesley and Winona Schwerdtfeger, his grandfathers, L.W. "Bill" Dillon, Joe Merkle and Kenneth Giager, his grandmothers, Patricia Merkle and Linda Giager and his brother-in-law, Jake Klassen.
Ross is survived by his parents; four (ornery) brothers, Cade and Ridge Giager, Michael Shelton and Joey Merkle; three loving sisters, Rylan Klassen, Katy and Johnye-Rose Merkle; his beloved grandmother, Yvonne "Mo" Dillon; grandparents, Terry Schwerdtfeger and Mark and Karen Brigham; many aunts and uncles and cousins, nieces and nephews and friends too numerous to number.
Memorial contributions may be made through the funeral home to Emmanuel Baptist Church for Celebrate Recovery.