CIMARRON – Kaelyn Lee Schoder, 3, died, Saturday, May 28, 2022 at St. Catherine’s in Dodge City, Kansas. Kaelyn had been sick and began having difficulty breathing. She would ultimately succumb to associated complications of her heart conditions and brain damage.
She was born on September 2, 2018 in Aurora, Colorado to Jennifer Joiner and William Schoder, with the most beautiful eye lashes ever seen.
As an infant Kaelyn loved to crawl, arch her back, stomp her feet to music, smile, laugh, and bounce in her chair. She was never fussy and loved to be held by mom and dad. Her favorite food was butternut squash!
On April 29th, 2019 at nearly 8 months old, she underwent an open-heart surgery to repair a pulmonary stenosis. Following the surgery her lungs collapsed and she went into cardiac arrest. After a lengthy arrest she was revived but not without permanent anoxic brain damage. She would spend a year in Children’s Hospital of Colorado in Aurora, Colorado before being discharged at the onset of COVID.
Although her life was drastically changed, she was still the happiest little baby girl. She brought hope and smiles to everyone she encountered. She loved to be held and rocked and would interact as much as possible by moving her eyes and head, or trying to stroke or hold your hands. She continued to enjoy music and movies, along with lights and animals, stuffed or real.
Jennifer moved Kaelyn and her sister to Kansas from Denver in the summer of 2021, and William followed in December to spend as much time as possible with Kaelyn while she still blessed the world with her presence.
Although her time was cut short, the extra time she was given was a blessing to everyone who loved her. Kaelyn is survived by:
Kaelyn is survived by: her mother and father, younger sister, Liliana, 2; three older half siblings, Kory, 17, Haileigh, 15, and Evan, 13; and a number of aunts, uncles, cousins, and associated loved ones.
Visitation will be held on Friday, June 10, 2022 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm at Ziegler Funeral Chapel, Dodge City, Kansas. Cremation will follow. Private family services will be held at a later date.
The family suggests memorials to First National Bank, 121 N. Main St., Cimarron, Kansas 67835. Condolences may be sent to www. zieglerfuneralchapel.com.
