Courtney Ann Schumacher

“Seeing is believing.” For many, those words simply represent a motto. But for Courtney Ann Schumacher, it summarized in every way who she was. She was modest, quiet and observant, taking in everything around her and always thinking before acting. She was a realist, someone who was efficient and practical in everything she did. She was a friendly person who truly cared about those around her.

She was the daughter of Polly Schumacher and Aaron and Candi Schumacher. Raised in Phoenix, she was brought up to be tolerant and trustworthy. As a child, she learned to be conscientious, responsible and punctual. These were all traits that she would carry with her throughout her life.

As a young girl, Courtney was always aware of how others around her felt and this quality served her well. It seemed as if Courtney was the family member who was always working to keep stress at bay. Preferring a quiet environment where she could concentrate, Courtney also had the ability to relate well with her family and friends. Courtney was raised with two siblings. She had one older brother, Adam, and one younger brother, Skylar. Courtney was constantly involved in activities with her family. Courtney and her siblings had the typical rivalries while growing up but they deeply cared for each other and shared many life experiences over the years.

Growing up, Courtney was one of those children who didn’t need to be in the center of a whirlwind of activity. Courtney was never pushy when it came to games and other activities, but rather, she was able to enjoy the pure fun these could bring. In just about everything she did as a child, Courtney was intent on pleasing both the adults and the other children around her. Courtney took part in a number of activities as a child some of those activities included soccer and basketball.

Courtney enjoyed learning. She always had a great memory and was particularly skilled at retaining factual information. Courtney was generally quiet in class, learning best through observation. She often showed great concentration and was competent at completing the tasks at hand. Good with details, Courtney was painstaking and accurate in her efforts. All of these talents culminated in a successful high school career. She attended Dobson High School, eventually leaving high school to receive her GED. Courtney enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite subjects and teachers.

Courtney had a good disposition for the challenges of college. She always enjoyed reading, so all of those lengthy required reading assignments seemed to be less of a burden for her. In fact, Courtney seemed to absorb and remember everything she read. Not all things came easily to Courtney, however, and she found success by being a diligent and accurate person who would dig into a project and work through until it reached its completion. She was very thorough and labored long and hard in order to reach her goals. She received two Associates degrees one in Administration of Justice Studies and the other in Police Science. She also received certification in Forensic Investigation. She was currently perusing a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice. One of her favorite courses taught about Serial Killers.

Most folks would say that Courtney was shy until they got to know her. Those who were privileged to know her well learned that she was a solid, good friend. Courtney was reluctant to generalize about people, and she based her friendships on her personal experiences. Because of this, Courtney best trusted those people that she truly knew. She was concerned about how those around her felt, and she always seemed to uncover the positive side of people. She could relate to others and had the ability to see their point of view, to “walk a mile in their shoes,” as the saying goes. The friends that she made, Courtney kept. While growing up, some of her best friends were Matt and Alexis. Later in life, she became friends with Bo, Daniel and Paige.

Love can’t be defined but must be experienced. That was so true for Courtney. Courtney's first and only love is Aaron Wiitla. Aaron and Courtney met at Sunsplash when they were in high school and were inseparable.

Courtney liked to experience things first hand, in addition to simply learning about them. This quality influenced Courtney's choice of leisure time activities. A methodical and patient worker, Courtney preferred to set aside uninterrupted time to work on her hobbies. Courtney loved baking everyone's favorite cupcakes, throwing epic house parties and spending time with her nephew Liam.

While thorough and measured in her approach to things, Courtney often liked to physically do things rather than just think about them. She was like that with sports. She also enjoyed the statistical data and the facts behind the sports. In this way, she was something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching her favorite teams whenever she got the opportunity. Tops on her list were watching college basketball, especially March Madness and NFL Football.

Due to her excellent organizational skills, Courtney was a welcome addition to the professional and community organizations to which she belonged. Courtney was good at making and keeping schedules and never got bogged down in unnecessary details. Courtney continuously participated in funding for Cystic Fibrosis. She did everything she could to help find a cure for this devastating illness.

Courtney was active in the community. She was practical and grounded and based her decisions on first hand experience. She was responsible and liked working to achieve results rather than just chattering about possibilities. Courtney was a member of several community groups, she volunteered at the City of Mesa's Prosecutor's Office and City of Mesa's Juvenile Detention Center.

Anyone who traveled or went on vacation with Courtney had smooth sailing. Courtney's favorite vacation was her make-a-wish trip to Hawaii, where she swam with dolphins.

Courtney's love was her dog Molly, who was her best friend for 5 years. She also loved her other pets, Rex and Callie. Courtney was as loyal to her pets as they were to her.

Courtney passed away on August 9, 2016 at Good Samaritan Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona. Courtney fought a brave battle against Cystic Fibrosis. She is survived by her parents Polly Schumacher, Aaron and Candi Schumacher; her brothers Adam (wife Sarita and son Liam) and Skylar; her grandparents Jim and Dianne Schumacher; and the love of her life Aaron Wiitla. Services were held at Lakeshore Mortuary Chapel. In lieu of flowers please make donations in Courtney's memory to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation: https://secure2.convio.net/cffh/site/Donation2.

It is said that some people can’t see the forest for the trees. Courtney was able to focus on each individual tree, tending to its needs, thus making the forest stronger as a whole. Courtney was a trustworthy, pragmatic and sympathetic person, the kind of woman to whom everyone was drawn. She was thorough and practical. Courtney Schumacher was very literal with her words. You always knew where you stood with Courtney. She will be missed.

Courtney Ann Schumacher, passed away on Tuesday, August 9, 2016 in Phoenix, Arizona.

Courtney's life will be celebrated by family and friends and her memory will live on always.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at 3:00p.m. on Saturday, August 13 at the Lakeshore Mortuary Chapel.

Lakeshore Mortuary

1815 S. Dobson Rd.

Mesa, Arizona 85202

If you have any questions or need assistance, please call (480) 838-5639.

Arrangements are under the direction of Lakeshore Mortuary in Mesa, Arizona.