Lawrence A. Schulz

Schulz, Lawrence Alan, 82, of Boston/Orchard Park, New York, after a brief illness, passed peacefully in his sleep on September 3, 2023 surrounded by family. Beloved husband of Judith for 53 years, devoted father of four sons, Cameron (Amy), Brigham (Marie), Thane and Tristan; cherished grandfather of seven granddaughters, Monika (Brad Detering), Brooke, Kathryn, Makenzie, Braxtyn, Erica and Monroe; dearest great-grandfather of Ellis. Survived also by his adored sister Janet (late Robert) Miller of Albuquerque, NM and many dear nieces and nephews. Predeceased by his loving parents, Grace and William and his treasured brother William and sister-in-law, Janet.

He loved spending time with his family. A man of strong Christian faith, he dutifully and joyfully shared that faith with his family. He loved cheering his boys on at their sporting events and music performances. He loved tent-camping, the outdoors, good food, a good scotch, reading, music, westerns, following national and world politics, and caring for his much-loved dogs. He was an avid, long-time fan of the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres.

Raised in Buffalo, he attended Deveaux School in Niagara Falls, graduated from Bennett High School, the University of Buffalo and the University at Buffalo School of Law in 1969. He was honored to serve in the United States Navy from 1960-1964. While in service, he toured aboard the USS Saratoga CVA-60, “Sara”, as an aerial photographer. While the Sara was deployed in the Mediterranean Sea with the Sixth Fleet in January of 1961 a significant fire, believed to have been caused by a ruptured fuel line, broke out in Engine space #2 which claimed the lives of seven sailors. The ship’s crew contained the fire after which Larry was called upon to enter and photograph the hot, still-smoldering spaces for initial damage assessment. He also collated aerial photographs of Cuba into maps which were sent to Washington DC for decision-making purposes during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

After law school he joined the firm of Lipsitz, Green, Fahringher, Roll, Schuller and James specializing in Appellate Law. While there, he successfully represented Dr. Thomas Matthew of NYC, the first black neurosurgeon in the United States and civil rights activist, in an appeal from a conviction in which he had been wrongly found guilty and sentenced to three years in prison. After six years with Lipsitz Green, he accepted the position of Confidential Clerk to the Court at the Appellate Division Fourth Department in Rochester, NY to broaden his knowledge of the appellate process. Following six years with the Appellate Division he returned to private practice and Buffalo to join the Saperston and Day law firm as head of their Appellate practice. There he enjoyed many victories in court and career high points including a successful appeal for Fisher Price against a company that began marketing counterfeits of their very popular Cabbage Patch dolls. A unique thank-you from Fisher price, a Cabbage Patch doll, still sits happily on his bookshelf amongst his legal volumes. After 15 years as a partner at Saperston he started his own firm where he enjoyed working as sole-practitioner crafting appeals for a number of law firms in the area. During that period he worked with the Cellino and Barnes Firm on several cases including one case in which he helped to orchestrate the legal strategy that recovered for their client the highest civil verdict at that time, $19,000,000, to be awarded in New York State. He retired from the practice of law in 2020.

Over the course of his 50-year legal career he served for many years on the Appellate Committee of the Erie County Bar Association as well as chairing Continuing Education events on Appellate Law for the Association, authored chapters for Lexus Nexus legal books on sundry aspects of appeals in New York state as well as a regular column on appellate law for the Daily Record (of Rochester).

In his free time over the years, he served as Cub Scout Master of Pack 230 in Penfield, NY, worked with the Pit Dads for Orchard Park High School’s Quaker Marching Band, helped to start the Orchard Park Community Church, writing its Constitution, filing its initial tax documents and serving on its Council.

A private celebration of life for family and friends will be held on October 7, 2023. In lieu of flowers memorial gifts may be made to Hospice, Buffalo, 225 Como Park Boulevard, Buffalo, NY 14227.