Joe was born on March 14, 1932 in Hope Texas to Volie Henry Schultea and Alta Ruth Jones Schultea. They moved to Houston Texas. Joe graduated Sam Houston High School as a very successful student, winning many awards, including the Sam Pate Award in 1952. He went on to join the United States Navy in 1953 during the Korean Conflict. When he was honorably discharged he went home and began doing carpenter work with his dad. In 1956 he began a life-long career as a law enforcement officer in the Houston/Harris County area by joining the Houston Police Department. He moved to the Village Police Department in 1958 where he retired as the Chief of Police in 1988. After retiring from the Village PD he served as the Chief of Police for the City of Tomball Texas for a short time before returning to the Houston Police Department to complete his calling to service. He retired finally at the age of 71. As a Texas Peace Officer, Chief Schultea enjoyed many successes in the law enforcement community. He graduated the FBI National Academy as the 90th session section leader and went on to become President of the Texas Chapter of the FBINAA. He was instrumental in creating the Harris County Organized Crime Enforcement Unit and created the first ever K9 program in a School District with the Spring Branch ISD. He was a member and organizer of the Harris County Area Chief’s Association. He participated as a member of the Texas Police Association, the Texas Association for Investigative Hypnosis, the Texas Police Chief’s Association, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, and the Southwest Texas Law Enforcement Administrators Association. He served as a member of the University of Houston Downtown Criminal Justice Advisory Board, the Houston Galveston Area Council Advisory Committee, and the Texas Governor’s Model Rules Committee.
Joe will be most remembered as a Christian family man. Joe married his beautiful wife, Peggy Lorine Bruce, in 1955. Together they raised 3 beautiful children; Joey, Jimbo, and Cynthia. In addition to helping them through life lessons, Joe taught his kids how to work with their hands and be proud of who they are. He taught them how to hunt, fish, play baseball, and, most importantly, to play dominoes! Even with his busy schedule he always found time to be with his kids at school functions, holidays and birthdays. He worked very hard to provide a solid future for his family and the values he showed are carried on in his kids and grandkids. He was a great carpenter and his talent can be seen at his and all of his kid’s homes. Joe truly loved his 6 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren and enjoyed spending time with each of them. His professional legacy is carried on in the lives of his boys who have both retired after very successful careers in law enforcement. Joe also had many smaller friends right at home - building squirrel feeders and taking care of the birds who lived around the house. He was a true neighbor’s neighbor. Joe cared about everyone he came into contact with and his life truly helped to change the world. His love, wisdom and advice will be carried on for generations to come.
Joe is preceded in death by his mother and father - Volie and Alta Schultea, and his sister - Charlotte Webb. He is survived by his loving wife, Peggy; his sons, Chief Joe M. Schultea, Jr. (ret) and wife Stacey (Huntsville); Sergeant James R. Schultea (ret) and wife Cathy (Spring); his daughter Cynthia Jane Schultea-Cortinas and husband Officer James Cortinas (Manvel); his grandchildren, Joseph Ferrell and wife Jill; Casey Ferrell; Kristen Griffith and husband Brian; Austin Schultea and wife Fanny; Cody Schultea; Shelby Schultea; his great grandchildren Max and Reagan Ferrell, and Caylee Griffith; his brother, Lt. Volie H. Schultea, Jr. (ret) and wife Chloe (Houston); and his sister Betty Chambers (Fort Worth). Joe is also survived by a large loving family of nieces and nephews, and cousins.
Visitation with the family and friends will be from 5-8PM on Tues., Jan. 14th. The celebration of his life will be held at 11AM on Wed., Jan. 15th at Brookside. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Texas Heart Institute, http://www.texasheart.org/donate and/or the 100 Club of Houston.
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