David Schulz

David Schulz was born on November 6th, 1927 in Eyebrow, SK to David Schulz and Agatha (Suderman) Schulz. Early in his life the family moved to Lethbridge and attended the Coaldale MB Church. When he was just six years old his mother passed away. This trauma in his life led to a stutter in his speech which he had throughout the rest of his life. He attended Fleetwood School in Lethbridge. His father, David Sr., had married Mary Wiens and she was a very good mother to him and his siblings.

In 1946 Dad moved to Chilliwack along with his parents and some siblings. Grandpa Schulz bought a dairy farm on Prest Rd. and our dad and his sister, Lydia, did the milking and the chores. Dad went to Bible School in Yarrow and East Chilliwack and had to milk the cows every morning before he left for Bible School.

Dad accepted the Lord Jesus as his personal Saviour while still living in Lethbridge when J.J. Toews had meetings at the church there. This marked the beginning of a strong devotion he had to Christ. He was baptized in 1948 and became a member of the Broadway MB Church.

It was at choir practice that a lovely young lady named Betty Doerksen caught his eye, and they were married on June 25th, 1950. They enjoyed a short but sweet two-night honeymoon in Bellingham and Seattle; after all, he had to be back by milking time on the third day. Although Dad had aspired to be a doctor when he was younger, they took over the farm and eventually bought it off his parents. He was always a very hard worker, and expected the same of those working around him. As kids we loved autumn when we harvested the pear and apple orchard. Pressing the apples and making apple juice was a family affair and took at least a full day or two to complete. Dad loved to sing, usually hymns, but he did have a collection of funny ditties he would sing to the kids and grandkids.

Later Dad & Mom switched to the East Chilliwack MB Church because it was a “farmers” church which started the Sunday evening services later in the evening to accommodate the chores that had to be done. Dad served on various church committees. He and Mom were closely involved in helping a refugee family from Laos move to and get settled in Chilliwack during the 1970s. Dad also served with MDS (Mennonite Disaster Service) locally, and he and Mom have continued to support many various ministries throughout the years.

As a respected member of the farming community Dad served on the board of directors of the East Chilliwack Co-op for 21 years, eight of those as president. With this responsibility he often travelled to meetings across Canada and to the western states. He usually came back with interesting stories about his travels.

Dad and Mom moved off the farm in 1983 but he continued helping out Mel and Stan until 1997 when the farm was sold. They lived on Swallow Crescent on Little Mountain for 15 years and spent many hours working on the beautiful flower beds in their backyard. It was also an ideal home to host their ever growing family.

Dad wasn’t all about work, though. As a young couple with small children Dad and Mom would take time to go camping in summer, and would try to visit family in Alberta and Vancouver as often as possible. As their family grew to five children they began holidaying each summer in Osoyoos and other areas of the Okanagan. Later on they bought a truck and camper and that opened up a whole new world of travel adventures for them. Along with Bill and Helen Baerg they traveled across Canada and to all corners of the lower 48 states.

Dad and Mom also enjoyed a trip to Europe, as well as a number of cruises, but it was a Christian-centered resort in Sky Valley, California that became an on-going destination for them. They enjoyed spending many winters in their park-model trailer there, making many good friends and enjoying the excellent church services and fellowship with believers of 29 different denominations. An afternoon soak in the pool was part of the daily routine, as were regular shuffleboard games and ice cream socials. While in Sky Valley they were able to visit their children, Stan and Marilyn, at the IDT Mission in Mexico six times. These visits were always a highlight of the season.

A few years ago dementia starting setting in and Dad couldn’t drive car anymore so Dad & Mom moved to Lynnwood Retirement residence. While there he suffered two strokes and after a bad fall last December Dad couldn’t walk. Because Dad needed more help than Mom could provide, and as there were no openings in appropriate Chilliwack residences, they moved to Agassiz; Dad in Glenwood Care Centre and Mom in Logan Manor.

His health continued to deteriorate this past year and last Monday morning, September 6th Dad peacefully and without pain went to be with his Father in heaven, exactly two months before his 89th birthday.

David was predeceased by his parents and eleven siblings.

He will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 66 years, Elizabeth (Betty) Schulz

Sisters Lydia Enns & Hilda (Henry) Friesen, brother Henry (Dora) Schulz

Children Ron (Lois) Schulz, Mel (Mavis) Schulz, Janice (Ken) Braun, Stan (Marilyn) Schulz, Bev (Bob) Kroeker

15 Grandchildren and 18 Great-Grandchildren

and many friends.

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David Schulz Jr. went to be with the Lord on September 6, 2016 at Glenwood Care Home in Agassiz at the age of 88. David was born November 6, 1927 in Eyebrow, SK to David and Agatha (Suderman) Schulz and spent most of his boyhood in Lethbridge, AB. As a young man he moved to Chilliwack with his family where he met his future wife, Elizabeth Doerksen. They married in 1950 and worked a dairy farm together on Prest Rd. for 47 years. This is where they raised their family of five children. A man with a strong relationship with Jesus Christ, David was an active member of East Chilliwack MB Church, now Central Community Church. As a respected dairy farmer in the community, he served on the board of directors at the East Chilliwack Co-op for many years, eight of those as president. After retirement, David and Elizabeth spent many years as snowbirds each winter in Sky Valley, CA, where they made many good friends and great memories. He always loved little children and took great delight in all his grandchildren and great grandchildren. David will be lovingly remembered by his wife, Elizabeth Schulz, his children Ron (Lois) Schulz, Mel (Mavis) Schulz, Janice (Ken) Braun, Stan (Marilyn) Schulz and Bev (Bob) Kroeker, his 15 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren and his sisters Lydia Enns, Hilda (Henry) Friesen and his brother Henry (Dora) Schulz. David was predeceased by his parents and by seven siblings. A Visitation will take place on Sunday, Sept. 11 from 7:00 to 8:30 pm at Woodlawn Mt. Cheam Funeral Home. A Celebration of Life will be held at 1:00 pm on Monday, Sept. 12, 2016 at Central Community Church, 46100 Chilliwack Central Road. Pastor Eldon Fehr officiating. Memorial donations may be made in David Schulz’s name to One Life One Chance Ministries, www.onelifeonechance.ca. Arrangements under the direction of Woodlawn Mt. Cheam Funeral Home, Chilliwack, BC.