William (Bill) Schulze was born April 8, 1931, at Sioux City and departed this life Saturday, May 8, 2021, at the Kennybrook Village in Grimes. He lived his life to the age of 90 years and one month.
In 1933, Bill was adopted by Paul and Frances (Gingery) Schulze of rural Jefferson. Bill attended country schools, grades 1-8 and graduated from Jefferson High School in 1950. Bill helped his father on the farm while in school and following graduation. He entered the U.S. Army in February of 1952 and served with the 145th Infantry Division in Korea during the Korean War. He received an honorable discharge with the rank of Sergeant First Class in November of 1953. He returned home and continued farming the family farm where in his lifetime he would farm for 71 years.
On August 13, 1971, Bill was united in marriage to Janice Hurdel at the Lutheran Church in Fort Dodge. They made their home on the family farm and Bill farmed the land. Bill and Janice together raised ostriches and had large gardens. Bill enjoyed the outdoors and liked mowing the yard, baling hay and helping other people when possible. His hobbies were collecting antiques, refinishing furniture, building little wagons and windmills and painting colorful cream cans. Bill was a member of the Floyd W. Brown American Legion Post No. 11 and served as commander for two years and served one year as vice commander of the 8th district. He was also as a member of the Jefferson VFW and had been a long-time member of the Jefferson Elks Lodge.
Janice passed away in October of 1999 and Bill continued to lived on the farm for a few years and when he moved to Waukee to make his home. In September of 2015, he moved to Kennybrook Valley in Grimes.
Bill is survived by his son Jeff and his wife Chris of Scranton; sister Marge Schulze of Des Moines; a very devoted friend, Ellen Lane of Waukee; grandchildren Matessa (Jamie) Aschinger, Ashley Hanlon, Amber (Tony) Snyder, and Josh (Breanna Andrews) Schulze; and great-grandchildren Lukas, Logan, Jacie, Joeleigh, Annabelle, Madelyn, Noah, Autumn and Scarlett. He was preceded in death by his beloved parents and wife.
Funeral services were held Tuesday, May 11, at the Brown Funeral Home in Jefferson, with Pastor Dennis Martens of Jefferson Trinity Lutheran Church officiating. It was Bill’s request two songs be played at his funeral service, those being “Great Speckled Bird” and “The Battle Hymn of the Republic”. Burial was made in the Jefferson City Cemetery with full military honors conducted by the Camp Dodge Military Honor Guard and the Jefferson American Legion and VFW.
Serving as casket bearers were Dean Sabus, Bruce Mobley, Josh Schulze, Kevin Schmidt, Birt Davis, Roger Morgan, Dennis Ostrander and Jamie Aschinger.
Bill wishes were that memorials be given to the Jefferson American Legion or to the Jefferson Elks National Youth Scholarship Foundation.
