Kenneth Wayne Schultz

1940 - 2025

KENNETH WAYNE SCHULTZ

December 3, 1940 – March 31, 2025

Bakersfield – Kenneth was born in Wasco, CA at Freise Maternity Home to Esther and Herman Schultz. He grew up and attended schools in Shafter, CA. After graduating from Bakersfield College in 1961, he started working in the agriculture and chemical industry.

He served in the Army Reserves from 1965 to 1971 as a Sergeant (where he liked to say he fought the battle of North Chester Ave).

In 1968, he began his insurance career as an Adjuster for Hartford Insurance. In 1969, he began working for Walter Mortensen Insurance as an Independent Agent. In 1977, he left Mortensen and purchased his agency, which he operated as a sole owner until 1982 when he merged with Rich Wilson to form Wilson - Schultz and Associates. During this time, he was on the Board of Directors of the Bakersfield Association of Independent Insurance Agents, where he eventually became President. As an insurance broker, he served on various agency advisory boards (i.e., Hartford's Jonathon Trumble Assoc., Kemper Ins., CNA Ins., - Pacer Panel - where he served as President of that chapter). In 1997, he left his partnership and rejoined Mortensen Insurance Agency until his retirement. Before full retirement, he enjoyed mentoring some of the younger agents, passing on his knowledge of the business and customer service.

Although he loved his work as an insurance broker, his passion was cars - mainly old cars - street rods in particular! He owned too many to list and enjoyed working on them, driving them, and showing them! In his retirement years, he also enjoyed playing the stock market (win some / lose some)!

He enjoyed traveling including trips to Hong Kong, Germany, Switzerland, France, Italy, Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico, and much of the US.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Susan Butler Schultz of 43 years, and two beloved Schnauzers.

He met Donna Elliott Bauer in 2015 and they married in November 2016. They spent the remainder of his life traveling and spending time with their many friends at their homes in Bakersfield and Palm Springs.

In October 2024 Kenny was honored to go on the 50th Honor Flight to Washington DC. He described it as emotional, memorable and a trip of a lifetime. All Veterans should go!!

He is survived by his wife, Donna Elliott Schultz, Charlie Wright (his best friend since 7th grade), niece, nephews, cousins, and many friends.

Ken's Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, May 3, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. with a light lunch following the service at St. John's Lutheran Church, 4500 Buena Vista Rd., Bakersfield, CA.

Instead of flowers, donations, in Ken's name, may be made to: Honor Flight of Kern County, 8200 Stockdale Hwy - Suite M-10, Box 255, Bakersfield CA 93311 (http://www.honorflightkerncounty.org) OR Minter Field Air Museum, Attn: Ron Pierce for New Hanger Fund, PO Box 445, Shafter, CA 93263 (https://minterfieldairmuseum.com (661-393-0291).

www.bakersfield.com/obits