Helen Elizabeth (Kloeckner) Schultz, 80, of Park Rapids, MN died at Heritage Home in Park Rapids from a stroke, Friday June 29, 2018. She was born February 6, 1938 in Fairmont, MN to her parents Nicklaus and Freida Kloeckner. She graduated from Fairmont High School in 1956 in the top ten percent of her class.
She attended Macalester College and left to enroll and was graduated in Home Economics in 1962 from the University of Minnesota. She married Jack Schultz in Fairmont at St.Paul’s Lutheran… Read More » on March 30, 1959 and the marriage spanned 59 years. She was preceded in death by two sons Nathan and John, parents Claus and Frieda Kloeckner, parents in law Bernice and Byrl Horswell.
She’s survived by Jack, sons Jay and Jim/Heidi, grandchildren and a sister Marian, brother Robert/Kay and step brother in law and wife Vic/ Jan Horswell and Ann Stewart. Helen had a complete and varied life. She was an accomplished seamstress and pianist.
An outstanding cook and loved entertaining. She was a voracious reader reading at least two books each week. She taught elementary in Bloomington, Mn and High School in Lynd, Mn.
Helen and Jack in the truest of expressions can be said they were “partners” in everything from vocation to recreation. She and Jack bought their first business in January of 1966 in Marshall Mn. having saved a salary for the business down payment.
In 1973 they bought the first of four lake homes in the Park Rapids area. They sold their insurance business in 1985 and gave a year of their lives to Luther College as the first National Co-Chairmen of Luther’s first endowment drive in 1987. At age 49 she went into business for herself starting a travel agency in Marshall and later in Park Rapids.
She operated the agencies for 8 years and was advantaged in doing considerable world travel for she and Jack. They traveled to Germany twice to visit her fathers parental home and place of birth In Koblenz, Germany. She continued later visiting the British Isles and Alaska several times.
She was a renowned mountain hiker. As a 25 year member of the Sun Lakes AZ hiking club she lead hikes 3 times to the bottom of The Grand Canyon. She hiked Bavaria, Scotland, Alaska, Mexico and countless Southwest US trails for 25 years and always in a lead or sweep position.
Jack and Helen bought their first Arizona home in Sun Lakes, AZ in 1993. She was a tennis player,but her first love was golf. As past President of the ladies 18 hole group she had a particular fondness for that group.
She had regular foursomes at both locations. She also loved playing bridge with herThursday group and loved making exotic desserts for the ladies. She and Jack and in most times Jim fished the “bush” country of central Ontario and always under fly-in primitive conditions.
She also hunted Manitoba, North Dakota and Iowa with Jack never bearing arms. She just loved the outdoors and her two pals Jack and Jim. She was an accomplished gardener, particularly flowers (roses)and always looked forward to spring mushroom hunting and mid season blueberry picking in the woods.
Helen was an active participant in her churches, active in leadership positions in her higher education circles. She was the past president of The U of M Southwest MN alumni association. She was a strong partisan in the GOP in Lyon county and served as a co-chairman of the party.
All that knew Helen well knew she kept confidences, was always cheerful and never in 59 years spoke ill of any other person. She also never judged anyone as she knew the real judge Jesus Christ had forgiven her sins and she followed his example by forgiving others. .
She left comfortably knowing that it was her time. Many and most were with her to the very end but Helen Keezer and Eunice Rothermel in particular were right by her side. Pastor Norby gave her Communion twice in the last days of her life.
Memorials may be directed to The Schultz Family endowed Scholarship at Luther College or to Calvary Lutheran Church in Park Rapids, Mn. Funeral Services will be held on Friday, July 6, 2018 at 11:00 AM at the Calvary Lutheran Church in Park Rapids, MN. Visitation will be held for one hour prior to the services at the church on Friday.
Interment will be held at the Marshall Cemetery at Marshall, MN. Online condolences can be left at ceasefuneralhome.com. Arrangements are being handled by the Cease Family Funeral Home of Park Rapids, MN.
If you found any mistakes, or you would like to add/remove to this obituary, please contact us by email: info@obituary.memorial. We never ask money for this.
