Joella Mary Schultz

Joella was born in Northfield, Minnesota, October 17, 1937, where she still has many family roots. But her heart is in Tucson, where it was captured firmly when she first moved to this beautiful desert city in 1972 after her first husband was stationed to DMAFB, and Tucson has been her home ever since.

When she was a young girl, Joella’s family moved from Northfield, Minnesota to Donna, Texas, joining her grandparents who were already there growing cotton and citrus fruit. She lived in Donna until 1955 when she married her first husband out of high school and he joined the Air Force. She was Donna High School’s Homecoming Queen in 1955 and the Grosser family made many contributions to the area, donating exhibits which can be seen at the museum in Donna.

As a young wife of an Air Force navigator she traveled extensively, moving from base to base, which she seemed to adapt to quite well. This joy of travel became a true inclination with her, so when she found, and married, the love of her life, Rudy Schultz, in 1980, together they traveled whenever possible to see family and friends, to share in family events, and explore new places. They went by car, by boat, by plane, by train, by trail; America, Europe, Central America. One of her favorite sight-seeing excursions was Alaska, where she would say the beauty was indescribable.

Growing up with Joella, her children will tell you her favorite cookbook was a well-thumbed Betty Crocker. She embraced the family traditions of her time and her children grew up under her undivided attention and love. She always seemed to have a roll of Charms candy in her purse to quiet her fidgety children in church. She was a Brownie leader, a Girl Scout leader, and a Cub Scout leader, whatever the call to duty was for her children’s benefit. When the family lived in Okinawa, while her first husband was in Vietnam, she would take them to folk festivals and ancient sites and let them meet the local residents so their lives were enriched. She would buy patterns and sew the latest style for her girls when it wasn’t affordable to go to the store. She tolerated every pet that was introduced into the household, out of love for her children, and their enthusiasm she did not want to dampen.

Joella graduated from the U of A nursing program and later went on to earn her Masters in Science in 1996. Of her master’s program she would often lament that the truly difficult part of writing her thesis was battling with the word processor, and remembering to save her work! In her Acknowledgements section of her thesis entitled, Tuberculosis Prevention: A Program for Incarcerated Adolescent Males, submitted and accepted in 1996, Joella’s own words give insight to what was important to her:

Sincere thanks to my husband, Rudy, for his limitless love, patience, and wonderful cooking, children Deb, Jay, Penny, and Julie, and to Mom, for their constant words of encouragement. My parents instilled the value to follow through a project to its completion. My family, near and far, kept me on the road of perseverance in this research endeavor. I truly treasure each and every one of them.

We each have moments that serve to define us and when shared with others offer a swift glimpse into ourselves and our lives. Looking at the whole that was Joella’s life, for her it was talking about growing up in Minnesota and skating on her grandfather’s ice skating rink in the cold of winter; her simple joy of riding her horse her parents gave her, Fella, on dusty roads after the family moved to Donna, Texas; being a TB nurse, helping to improve people’s lives; joining DAR and Magna Carta, as her mother before her; volunteering at the Tucson VA, listening to the soldiers individual stories; happily climbing the steps to the nose bleed section of the U of A stadium to cheer for the Wildcats, which she did for years; going to church; assisting her aging mother so that she could complete a book on the family, which had been her mother’s dream, which was entitled Grains of Rice (“Rice” being the family name of her mother); connecting with her children and family and friends, and sharing them with others; proudly talking about her grands and great grands and great-great grands. Indeed, she marveled at her big family and enjoyed keeping up with everyone, whatever their age.

The overriding sense one has of Joella was that once you were a part of her life you were a treasure to be treasured and she would reach out and touch you whenever she could with a call or a note or a visit so you would know. Her address and birthday books were massive, a testament to her love and empathy for others.

She was a loving, devoted wife, mother, sister, grandmother, great- and great-great-grandmother, friend, homemaker, nurse, and she will be remembered for being a kind and caring soul all her life. She dearly loved her family and friends and we dearly love her. We will miss her every day.

Joella is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Rudy Schultz (Tucson); parents, Peggy Grosser (mother) and Everett Grosser (father) (Kerrville, Texas).

Joella is survived by her children, Deborah White, John (Lenneica) Stewart III, Penny (Craig) Hoffman, and step-daughter, Julie Parizek; many cherished grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren; sister, Susan Russell and brother, Kent (Wanda) Grosser; extended family across the country; and many wonderful friends.

A memorial service will be held November 19, 2022, at East Lawn Palm Mortuary, 5801 E. Grant Rd, with visitation beginning at 12:00 pm followed by her funeral service and burial at 12:30 pm with Pastor Steve Springer presiding. A light reception will follow.

Flowers may be sent to East Lawn Palms Mortuary. For those interested in making a tribute in her name in lieu of flowers may we suggest the local Tucson chapter of the NSDAR in support of their many endeavors cherished by Joella. Donations may be sent to NSDAR, 8987 E. Tanque Verde, Suite 309-282, Tucson, 85749.