Mr. William (Bill) Schutz passed away March 22, 2012 at the Langenburg Special Care Home at the age of 97 years. Bill was born May 17, 1914 on a farm ten miles north of Churchbridge, SK., to Adam and Katherina (Rathgeber) Schutz, the third youngest of a family of six brothers and two sisters. He was baptized June 15, 1914 in the Lutheran faith by Rev C Predoehl, and confirmed April 1, 1928 by Rev W Roth, both at Beresina. As a young man, he became a member of Zion Lutheran Church, Hoffenthal and was active in the church's youth group, the Walther League, serving as secretary of the Assiniboine Zone. During this time, he travelled to his first international convention of the League in Chicago, IL, which made a profound impression on him. He attended Normal School in Saskatoon, from where he received his teacher's certificate in 1935. He taught school for the next fourteen years at two rural school districts in the local area, Echo and Rothbury. While at Hoffenthal, he met and married Caroline (Lena) Kendell on May 8, 1943, and they began their life together on a rented farm in the Rothbury district, while Bill was still teaching school. In 1945, they purchased their first quarter-section of land and Bill retired from teaching in 1949, when farming became their primary livelihood. The same year, Bill was elected as a delegate to the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool, and he continued in that position for the next thirty years, the last eight years of which he also served as a director until his retirement from the board in 1980. Bill and Lena were members of Peace Lutheran Church, Rothbury where Bill served as elder and president. He also served for twenty-five years as a director of Churchbridge Co-operative Association, a council member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Churchbridge and as chairman of the Rothbury School Board for ten years. The farming operation expanded over the years and was taken over by his elder son Dennis and his family. Through retirement, Bill and Lena initially stayed on the farm, spent some of their time travelling, and then moved to Yorkton in 2002, settling in, first a condominium of their own and later at The Bentley retirement residence. In Yorkton, they became members of Zion Lutheran Church, and have remained as members since then. Failing health for both of them, required a move in 2008 to the Langenburg Centennial Special Care Home, where they resided until their deaths. Bill was predeceased by his parents, his wife Lena in 2011, his sisters Christina Duncan of Vancouver, and Elizabeth Dressler of Victoria, and by his brothers John, Phillip (in infancy), Adam, Phillip, Ludwig, and Jack. He leaves to mourn his passing and to celebrate his life: his son Dennis and daughter-in law Brenda of Churchbridge, and his son Dale of Edmonton, AB. He also leaves two grand daughters: Lisa (Dwayne) Fenske, and their daughter (great-grand daughter) Kaitlyn of Martensville, SK, and Sandy (Wayne) Bashnick of Hudson Bay, SK. The Funeral Service was held on Monday, March 26 at Zion Lutheran Church in Yorkton with Rev. Daniel Moeller officiating. The organist, Verna Liebrecht led in the singing of the hymns, "Come To Calvary's Beautiful Mountain", "I'm But A Stranger Here" and "Beautiful Saviour". The interment followed in the Garden of St. John at Yorkton Memorial Gardens with Wayne Bashnick, Dwayne Fenske, Kevin Matthews, Lyle Schutz, Ken Schutz and Wayne Rathgeber serving as the casket bearers. If desired, memorial donations may be made to the Saskatoon Community Foundation, re:Caroline and William Schutz Endowment Fund, 101-308 Fourth Avenue North, Saskatoon, SK S7K 2L7 Condolences can be sent to the family by visiting www.baileysfuneralhome.com
Funeral arrangements were in care of Bailey's Funeral Home.
