Obituary of Philip Lewis Schultz

Philip Lewis Schultz April 1921 - January 2019 Col. Philip Lewis Schultz, 40-year resident of Tucson, Arizona, was born in Reading, Pennsylvania and raised in Upper Darby, PA. He graduated from Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, in 1947, and the USAF Institute of Technology at Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio, in 1954. He served in the US Army Air Corps during WWII and flew 35 missions in B24 Liberators with the 454th Bomb Group, Italy in 1944-45. After the war, he was employed as a licensed Industrial Engineer in Tennessee and Kentucky and in 1954 was recalled to the US Air Force as a transport pilot for the Korean conflict. After completing his Air Force MBA, he was Contracting Officer at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio to 1957; Wheelus Field in Tripoli, Libya to 1960; Grand Forks AFB in North Dakota to 1963; and Forbes AFB, Topeka, Kansas to 1970. Awards include Command Pilot, Distinguished Flying Cross, and Outstanding Procurement Officer. After retirement from the Air Force, he served as Administrator at the Kansas City Presbyterian Manor nursing home to 1972. He was also employed in Kansas City to 1978 and Tucson to 1986 as a Certified Life Underwriter and Certified Financial Planner for Equitable Life Assurance Society, now AXA. He died at his home in Tucson after a full week of his many activities. At 97 he was still active at El Camino Baptist Church, Kings Heirs Connect and Care Groups, missionary support groups, Protestant Men of the Chapel, and Bible studies. Two Toastmasters groups, Republican Club, Lions Club, and Daedalians, were also current activities. He was still active on the board of his homeowners association and was a Republican precinct committeeman. He belonged to every church choir wherever he lived from childhood and WWII until very recently. He taught Sunday school for many years, served as Minister of Evangelism, and filled an important need for male role models for young children at Mothers for Preschool Children, AWANA, Good News Club, Reading Seed and others. He was a longtime One On One mentor and friend. He hosted many Friendship International Chinese students and helped with English as a Second Language. He gave talks to Veterans and other groups as recently as Fall 2018. He also held a life membership in the Schwenckfelder Exiles Association, which honored his ancestors who immigrated to America in 1734. He was active in many military associations, Optimist Club, Christian Business Men Committee, Chambers of Commerce, Great Decisions Groups, and the Tucson Pennsylvania Club. In various locations he was actively involved in Boy Scouts. In Tucson, he and his wife Sally participated in the cast of Simon Peter Passion Play and Bethlehem Marketplace for several years. He loved line, folk and ballroom dancing with his wife Sally, telling stories and jokes, playing tennis and golf, table tennis, croquet, bocce ball, dominoes, puzzles and card games. He had a myriad of other interests from stamp collecting and making 8mm family films and slide shows to travelling extensively throughout the world. He enjoyed dressing up as Dr. Gussie the clown and making balloon animals as a ministry to share his faith. He was predeceased by his wife of 56 years, Sarah (Sally) Johnston Schultz in 2003. He is survived by his three daughters: Gayle Brooker of Springfield, MO; Claire Zimmerman of Fairfield, IA; and Julie Schulz of Dolores, CO; two grandchildren, Adam Brooker and Emily Landis; and five great grandchildren, Ashton and Aleah Brooker and Lydia, Arianna, and Cooper Landis. Phil's Memorial Service will be held at El Camino Baptist Church, 7777 E Speedway, Tucson, AZ 85710, at 3:00 PM on Saturday, February 2nd, with a reception following. The family would welcome your memories of Phil and what he meant to you. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to El Camino Baptist Church or a charity of your choice. His cremated remains, along with his wife Sally's, will be placed together in the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Springfield, Missouri.