Jerrod Albert Samber, 50

Nov. 11, 1969 – March 6, 2020

Atwood, Colo.

Jerrod Albert Samber, 50, of Atwood, Colo., died peacefully at his home after a courageous battle against cancer. While Jerrod had cancer, it never had him. Memorial services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 14 at the NJC Event Center.

Jerrod was raised in Stoneham, Colo.,the son of Jerry and Margie Samber, and graduated from Prairie High School in 1988. Jerrod had a love of livestock all of his life which propelled him to attend Northeastern Junior College and excel on the Livestock Judging Team, where they won the National Championship. He served as Colorado FFA State Secretary and then went on to graduate from Colorado State University. He was also part of the CSU Livestock Judging Team and earned a master’s in meat science.

Jerrod married Kayedeane Miller Sept. 21, 2002, and the couple made their home in the Sterling, Colo., area. Jerrod’s pride and joy were his three children, Jaxson Bentley, age 13, Emmee Kayt, age 8, and Sophie Miller, age 8. Jerrod was completely involved with his children, diving into every interest they wanted to pursue, especially raising and showing livestock. He loved coaching Jaxson’s basketball team, and he was so dedicated to this group of boys, that he coached them up until just weeks before he died.

Jerrod always had an eye for quality livestock and was asked to judge at numerous county and state fairs across the nation. He and his family began their own business, Samber Sheep Company, producing many champion lambs for young people across northeastern Colorado and adjoining states.

After graduation from college Jerrod worked at Northeastern Junior College in admissions and then became the athletic director and manager of the Bank of Colorado Event Center. He went on to work for Ranchway Feeds, and then as a livestock production specialist for Zoetis. While at Zoetis, Jerrod was the nutritional consultant for many area producers and feeders. Just this February Jerrod was honored by Zoetis with the President’s Circle Award as the top livestock production specialist in the nation.

Jerrod was a special man of many talents. He had a great singing voice, played the piano and guitar, and was a good dancer! He kept an amazing garden, growing vegetables, and sharing from his bountiful crops. He was also a perfectionist in everything he did and didn’t mind bossing his family and close friends!

Jerrod is survived by his wife Kayedeane, his children, Jaxson, Emmee, and Sophie; his parents Jerry and Margie, his sister Jennie Bates and husband Scott, nephews Carter and Blake; his nephews Kale and Kade; his brother Jay and wife Ashley, nephew Donavan, and nieces Aleah and Adleigh; parents-in-law Carl and Diane Miller, and sister- and brother-in-law Shanan and Kory Kessinger, nephew Kacyn and niece Addicyn.

He is preceded in death by his twin baby daughters, his brother Jesse, and his grandparents, John and Gertrude Artzer, and Frank and Lena Samber.

Jerrod was an example of how to live life to the very fullest, not missing any moments, regardless of how he might have been feeling and all that he was facing. He lived by this mantra: “You can’t change your situation; the only thing you can change is how you choose to deal with it.”

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Jerrod Samber Memorial Fund to be used for his kids’ college funds care of Tennant Funeral Home PO Box 1547, Sterling, CO 80751.