John Schuldt, Sr.

MULBERRY FLORIDA — John C. (Jack) Schuldt Sr., age 85 and a dad, grandpa and great grandpa peacefully passed away on Tuesday March 14th, 2023 at The Carpenters Home in Lakeland Florida. He was born April 16, 1937, to the late Elmer and Marion (Meier) Schuldt in Blue Island, Illinois. During High School, he met the love of his life, Alice Biedronski and they were married on September 13, 1958, at St. Walter’s Catholic Church in Chicago, Illinois.
Jack was the personification of the term servant leader. He was the first person in his family to graduate from college, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Toledo while simultaneously working full time in the management training program provided by the Central Foundry Division of General Motors in Defiance. He would go on to be employed by GM until he retired in 1993, rising to the position of Safety Director. In his early years, Jack was an active member of the parish council at St. Mary’s Catholic Church and the Cub Scout Pack Leader for Troop 76. Jack served the community of Defiance through his membership in the Rotary club and was recognized as a Paul Harris fellow through his contributions to the Rotary Foundation. Jack also served the Defiance YMCA and led many programs that helped develop business skills for young students at Defiance High School. After retiring from GM, Jack started a consulting business called Safety Specialties Inc. Because of his service as a board member of the National Safety Council and the American Foundry Society, he was able to grow his business across the USA and around the world. He traveled around the USA and to Europe and Asia and was recognized as a leading safety consultant that companies around the globe could rely on. But he never forgot his roots in Defiance and was proud to share with anyone that his first client was Brown’s Bakery. Jack loved the game of golf and was a member at Auglaize Country Club and Kettenring Country Club. He served on the board and was President of KCC during the time the club expanded the course from a 9-hole layout to its present eighteen holes. In 1996 Jack and Alice picked up stakes and moved to the quiet town of Mulberry, just outside Lakeland, Florida and midway between Tampa and Orlando. They told their children it reminded them of Defiance with its small town feel while still being close enough to cities to enjoy a good restaurant and airports. They built their “forever home” just off the 17th fairway of Imperial Lakes Country Club. Jack continued his servant leadership role in Florida by becoming an usher at St. John Neumann Church in Lakeland, becoming a lay distributor to deliver the sacrament of Communion, and serving on the board of Imperial Lakes Country Club. Jack never met a stranger, especially on the golf course! He was a spiritual man, a devoted family man and strongly believed in giving back to his community. He lived a good, long fulfilling life and now is walking 18 on some wonderful heavenly golf course, no doubt acing every hole. Jack is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Alice, son John, son Joe and daughter Christine. He leaves behind 7 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren, his sister Elizabeth and brother David and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister Karen. The family wishes to thank Good Shepherd Hospice, Scott Lake Rehabilitation Center, and the Carpenters Home, all of Lakeland for their excellent care of our dad.

The family requests that memorials be directed to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (www.jdrg.org) or the Alzheimer’s Association (https://www.alz.org) In keeping with Jack’s wishes, a celebration of Life will be held in Florida at a later date.

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