Russell Ray "Russ" Schultz

1931 - 2025

Russell Ray "Russ" Schultz

April 1, 1931 - December 24, 2025

Russell Ray "Russ" Schultz entered the world on April Fool's Day, 1931, and went to Heaven on Christmas Eve, 2025.

Russ married Patricia Maureen Hefferon on July 9, 1955, in Racine, Wis. They shared 70+ years of love, travels, and family game nights.

They playfully gave their 3 children a part of their own name. Lovingly named: Dann Ray, Maureen Patricia, and Scott Russell.

Russ proudly enlisted in the USAF and served with Queen Elizabeth II Royal Airman (Elite to QE2) from 1950-1954. In return, she gave him front row seating at her coronation.

He also repaired aero communication devices in Germany during the Korean War. Russ's passion for his country was evident. Russ holds multiple mechanical patents, designing lighting fixtures for Thomas Industries in Fort Atkinson, Wis.

When Hawkeye Institute of Technology (HIT) opened in 1967, he moved his family to Cedar Falls, Iowa, and served as a mechanical engineering instructor until his retirement.

Russ was a self-taught intellect with a 12th-grade education, which is a reminder to anyone that you can do what you set your mind to.

Both of his sons graduated from his course. His students loved his laid-back yet meticulous style, and many times they looked him up later in life to thank him.

In the 1980s, his classroom materials were seen being used by a student at an airport, by a random Prentice Hall Publishing employee. Prentice Hall recommended a book since he was so precise and easy to learn from.

So...he wrote a very successful college-level book in 8 editions. Blueprint Reading for the Machine Trades.

As Russ aged, he brought on instructors who had been teaching from the book to update it with changing criteria. Book #9 is fast approaching.

The Schultz family of 5 had a passion for traveling, canoeing, and camping in a pop-up Apache trailer. Russ always said it was the best education for their children. All 48 lower states were viewed from a car as a family.

He and his son Dann took on the challenge in 1975 to ride bicycles, on gravel, to Alaska. He cherished the time he and Maureen flew in a tiny plane to a glacier on Mt. McKinley (Alaska).

He spoke fondly of hunting trips and shenanigans with his boys, and he enjoyed the Green Bay Packers for life, attending many games.

Russ and Pat wintered 4 months annually, in Texas, selling their used books and golf clubs at a flea market 3 days, and traveling 4 days a week.

They made friends everywhere they went around the world.

Russ was preceded in death by his 3 sisters, and Pat's 3 brothers, (and families); his parents, Agnes and Orville; and son, Dann Schultz.

Left to carry on Russ' silly sounds and faces, stories, and adventures are Dann's children, Keira (Dan) Hippe, Kyle (Mindy) Schultz, and Rebecca Schultz; daughter, Maureen (Jeff) Dietz and their son, Steve Dietz; son Scott (Shelly) and their children, Brienne (Ryan) Grant, Alex (Alisha) Schultz, and Abby (Mitch) Bowden; along with 13 great-grandchildren, and another on the way.

Those little Schultzes loved to say, "Oh Papa, Oh Papa, what shall we do?" His response was always: "Make popcorn."

A public visitation with Pat and her family will be held from 12 pm to 2 pm, at Dahl-Van Hove-Schoof Funeral Home (CF) next Saturday, January 3, 2026.

A time of sharing and prayer to follow the visitation around 2 pm.

At 2:30 pm there will be a police escort from the funeral home to Cedar Valley Memorial Gardens (North of CF) if you'd like to attend in your car.

Interment with military rites, at 3 pm, please join us.

Memorials in Russ' memory may be directed to the charities of the giver's choice.