Alan L. Schuster

1935 - 2025

Alan L Schuster

October 19, 1935 - July 15, 2025

Anthem, Arizona - Alan L. Schuster passed away peacefully at the age of 89, surrounded by his loving family, on July 15, 2025.

Born in Newark, NJ, in 1935, Alan grew up in northern New Jersey and graduated from Westfield High School in 1953. After graduating from Wabash College, he served in the US Army in Korea, where he taught English.

Alan met his wife, Yvonne, in 1960 at the NCO Club in Columbia, SC, where she was playing bingo with her mother. He came over and introduced himself and asked if she liked to dance. Yvonne said, "No." He said, "Me neither; we'll probably get married." They married three months later and settled in West Caldwell, NJ. They were blessed with their first daughter, Donna, in 1966, followed by Jill, in 1970.

Alan had an exciting 33-year career working in public relations, marketing, and advertising for the F. & M. Schaefer Brewing Company and, later, the Stroh Brewery Company. Among his responsibilities were Public Relations Manager for the Schaefer Center at the 1964-1965 New York World's Fair and overseeing Schaefer's construction of an exact replica of the schooner yacht "America." He also managed the Schaefer Music Festival in Central Park, the Schaefer 500 at Pocono, and the Schaefer Circle of Sports / LeRoy Neiman MVP Awards.

When not working, Alan enjoyed running. While watching the NYC Marathon on TV one year, he told his bemused family that he would run in it the following year. He went to the high school track the next day, ran a lap, collapsed, but persevered and actually did complete the marathon the next year. He went on to run many more marathons over the next couple of decades.

Upon retiring in 1994, Alan and Yvonne moved to Dataw Island, SC, where they spent thirty years before moving to the Phoenix area to be closer to family. During his retirement Alan played golf regularly, took up croquet and won his community's club championship, tutored local students, taught an incredibly popular opera class at USC-Beaufort, and wrote previews for the USC-Beaufort's Center for the Arts' Metropolitan Opera's Hi-Def broadcast series.

Alan is survived by his wife of sixty-four years, Yvonne; their daughters, Donna Schuster of Falls Church, VA, and Jill Lee of Phoenix, AZ; and beloved grandchildren Rachel Lee and Matthew Lee.

Those who wish to make a memorial contribution in Alan's name can do so at:

Alzheimer's Association - https://www.alz.org/

Friends of Caroline Hospice - https://www.fochospice.org/