Don Schulz

Don Schulz
01/20/1938 - 12/22/2018
Hasemann Funeral Home

Funeral Services for Don V. Schulz, age 80, of Wayne, will be held at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Wayne on Thursday, January 3rd at 10:30 a.m.  Visitation will be at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Wayne on Wednesday, January 2nd from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. with family present.  Interment with Military Rites will be at Greenwood Cemetery in Wayne.  He passed away on Saturday at Providence Medical Center in Wayne.  Memorials may be directed to the Schulz family for later designation.  Arrangements are with Hasemann Funeral Home of Wayne.

Don Verdel Schulz was born on January 20, 1938, in Wayne, to Harry and Rose (Daum) Schulz.  He attended Country School District 26, south of Wayne and graduated from Wayne High School in 1955. He then joined the Navy, where he was stationed at North Island Naval Base in San Diego, California, and was assigned to the Legal Office aboard the aircraft carrier, USS Kearsarge, where the carrier patrolled the ports of Hawaii, Guam, The Philippines, Japan, China, and the Formosa Straights.

Don married his high school sweetheart, Sandra Kay Witmer on August 22, 1958, at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Wayne.  They moved to San Diego until Don was discharged one year later.  After returning to Wayne, Don farmed with his parents 6 ½ miles south on Highway 15 and worked for Bressler Service. He worked for Eining Concrete Products and Ready Mix, hauling concrete; Propane Supply, Northern Propane, and Standard Oil, delivering propane and installing furnaces.

Don made a career change and began driving truck for Olson and Liveringhouse Trucking, where he was driving to the West Coast hauling hogs and cattle.  After the business closed, Don drove truck for Burton Schmoldt Trucking and Bell Creek Trucking, also hauling livestock; Mel’s Trucking, hauling meat for Packerland; Wayne Distributing, hauling Pabst Blue Ribbon beer; M. G. Waldbaum, hauling eggs and egg products; and Gray Carriers, hauling Pepsi products. He retired, but the road was still calling his name, and he began escorting long, tall, wide loads part-time for Heritage Homes, which he did until the summer of 2018.  Don logged over five million miles over the road.

Don was a silent partner in his son, Jason’s business, Quality Auto Sales, attending the Omaha Auto Auction weekly with him, and accompanying him to pick up vehicles throughout the Midwest.

Through the years, Don and Sandra took care of the farm and raised chickens, ducks, rabbits, hogs, sheep, a purebred Red Angus herd, and a goat.  Don especially enjoyed raising many litters of kittens.  He loved living on the farm and being outdoors and growing various types of trees.

He cherished his time with Sandra and his children and loved and adored his grandchildren and enjoyed attending their sporting events.  He was very proud of his country, and was honored to be a Veteran.  Don was a member of Our Savior Lutheran Church and a founding member of the Eagles Club.

Don is survived by his loving family:  children, Tammie Rose (Paul) Phillips and Angela Caroline (Todd) Pfeiffer, all of Omaha, and Jason Harry (Vickie) Schulz of Wayne; his grandchildren, Delanie Rose Phillips of Colorado Springs, CO, Harrison Foster Phillips of Buffalo, NY, Cassandra Marie Pfeiffer of Omaha, Nick Rauner of Mankato, MN, and Rachel Rauner of Wayne; brother, Vern (Delores) Schulz of Wayne;  sister-in-laws, Marcia (Darcell) Adams of Iowa City, IA, and Penny (Rick) Urwiler of Lincoln; 10 nieces and nephews; 23 great-nieces and nephews; 9 great-great-nieces and nephews; and several cousins, and his adorable cats, Sofie and Big Guy.

Don was preceded in death by his sweetheart, Sandra, in 2015; his parents, Harry and Rose (Daum) Schulz; his in-laws, George and Caroline (Koopman) Witmer; and sister and brother-in-law, Patricia and Bill Gamble.

 

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