Robert Joe SHULTZ

SHULTZ, NEWBERN, MESSELHEISERSCHIPP, HOLTZEE, TARR

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 1/9/2010 at 18:13:38

GREENE, Iowa - Robert Joe Shultz was born Jan. 31, 1940, in Greene, son of John H. Shultz and Ruth J. (Newbern) Shultz, and died on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2009, in Phoenix, Ariz., due to complications from a stroke. Growing up in Greene, Bob enjoyed playing basketball, fishing and teaching swimming lessons in the Shell Rock River. He also belonged to Boy Scouts, where he attained the rank of Eagle Scout. Bob graduated from Greene High School in 1958. He attended Parsons College in Fairfield and graduated from the University of Iowa in 1963 with a BA degree in history.
In 1964, Robert was united in marriage to Jan Messelheiser in Meservey. In 1965, he received a MA degree in history from the University of Nebraska-Omaha. In 1966, Bob began his doctoral studies in history at Wayne State University in Detroit, Mich. He moved to Australia in 1968, where he accepted a teaching post at La Trobe University, while completing his PhD degree in philosophy at the Australian National University in Canberra. After receiving his PhD in 1972, Bob became a professor of history at La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia, returning to Iowa in 1985. Upon his return to the United States, Bob attended Wartburg College in Waverly and taught history at Waldorf College in Forest City and Buena Vista University in both Storm Lake and Mason City. In 1997, Bob moved to Arizona to teach and suffered a stroke in 1998, from which he never fully recovered. As an adult, Bob had a passion for political conversations, reading and long-distance bike riding. Bob was always the first to offer praise where it was deserved.

Survivors include two sisters-in-law, Marilyn (Shultz) Schipp and Annette Shultz; brother-in-law, Donald Holtzee, and seven nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Barbara Tarr and Sharol Holtzee; brothers, Jack D. and Harold Shultz; and nephew, Robert Tarr. His nieces and nephews have coordinated a memorial service to be held 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 18, in Perrin Park, Greene.

Mason City Globe Gazette, Iowa
October 11, 2009