Donald K. Schulze (1924-2019)

SCHULZE, GRANDFIELD, LASCHE, LUTZ, PFALTZGRAFF, MCNEILL, BAETSLE, SHAPIRO

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 5/17/2021 at 16:53:11

From Grandon Funeral and Cremation Care obituary, Ames, Story County, Iowa:

Donald K. Schulze, age 95 passed away on August 9th, 2019. There will be a gathering from 1 -2:00 p.m. Thursday August 15, at Northminster Presbyterian Church, 1416 20th Street, Ames, in the fireside room with a 2:00 p.m. Memorial service in the Founders Chapel, at Northminster Presbyterian Church, and a family burial in the Ames Municipal Cemetery.

Don was born March 29th, 1924 in New York City to Louis and Joan Schulze. When he was a youngster, the family moved to Bryn Mawr Park, a suburb of Yonkers, New York where they lived in a modest Cape Cod house located in a beautiful secluded valley that was once part of a Dutch estate.
He graduated from Roosevelt High School in Yonkers, and in his senior year attended a Defense School, where he studied aircraft construction. Upon his graduation, he worked one year building invasion barges before entering the service. During WWII he served in a glider battalion in the airborne Engineers, and was later commissioned as a navigator in the Army Air Corps.

He graduated from the University of Iowa in 1949 with a BS in Civil Engineering, with emphasis on structural engineering. While at the University, he married Carol Lee Grandfield on a snowy April 14th, 1949 in the first Presbyterian Church in Iowa City. For nearly 40 years, he worked for the Iowa Department of Transportation where he retired as the Assistant Bridge Engineer on 12/31/1988.

He was a lifetime member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, charter member of the Northminster Presbyterian church, and deeply involved in the Ames community, serving with the Cub Scout Program, Community Chest Board, Ames Annexation Committee, MICA Board, Zoning Board of Adjustment, Ames Board of Review and a member of the Ames Golden K Kiwanis.

Don's greatest joy was spending time with his wife, children, and grandchildren, which included holiday gatherings, Florida vacations, time at the family property in Lake Panorama and an annual gathering at the cabins on Lake Red Rock. He and his wife enjoyed traveling in their motor home and visited various national parks and historic sites. He liked the Arkansas Ozarks so much that he bought 40 acres of timberland with a creek where he and his wife spent many years roaming around and enjoying their acreage. His other interest included, hiking, sailing on his Hobie Cat, bicycling on his trike, golf and reading historical books. He enjoyed woodworking and completed many projects at his home and the homes of his children. He was an avid Hawkeye fan and rarely missed a Homecoming with classmates.

He is survived by his wife, Carol, son David (Maralyn) Schulze of Marshalltown, daughters Karen Lasche and Donna (Monte) Lutz of Ames, six grandchildren, Joshua (Trista) Schulze, Jacob Schulze, and Mara (Alex) Pfaltzgraff, Lucas (Amy) Lasche, Katie (Matt) Lutz Mc Neill, and Amanda (Lance) Baetsle, a sister Nathalie Shapiro of Ellicott, Maryland, as well as many nieces and nephews. He loved being around all four of his great-grandchildren, Ezra, Zoe, Matilda, and Eli. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Lou and sister-in-law Mary Ann Schulze, and son-in-law Larry Lasche.

Memorial contributions may be made in his honor to Mary Greeley Hospice or Northminster Presbyterian Church.

http://www.grandonfuneralandcremationcare.com/
 

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