Loren Schultz

Loren Adam Schultz, age 92, of Bellevue, Washington, formerly of Greenville, Michigan, passed away peacefully on the morning of Thursday, September 19, 2024. The son of Adam Joseph Schultz and Matilda Josephine Sass, he was born on September 2, 1932 in Sheridan, Michigan. A 1949 graduate of Greenville High School, Loren went on to collect various degrees from Ferris State College, University of Colorado, University of Washington, and University of Alabama. His love of airplanes led him away from the family farm and into the Air Force as a young adult. After serving as an airplane welder during the Korean War, he landed at Boeing’s Transonic Wind Tunnel, collecting flight data for the Boeing 727 jet airliner. From there he moved on to the front lines of the nascent space program at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. His initial position was in Launch Systems where he worked on the Saturn V launch vehicle which carried spacecraft and astronauts beyond Low Earth Orbit. He said he “drove the bus”, heading the team responsible for the guidance equations. About that, he also said “I’m sure glad my math was right.” Between the Air Force, universities, and his employment, he ended up living in many different places over the years: San Antonio, Texas, Atlanta, Georgia, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Japan while in the Air Force; Big Rapids, Michigan and Boulder, Colorado for schooling; Salt Lake City, Utah, Huntsville, Alabama, and Bellevue, Washington for work. Still, he didn’t love any place as much as he loved his Michigan hometown and he never stopped being a farmer at heart. To that end, he spent many, many happy hours in his large backyard garden at his home in Bellevue. He also enjoyed traveling with his wife Phyllis to visit small towns along the Washington and Oregon Coast. They enjoyed photography and bird watching together. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 54 years, Phyllis Barthel Schultz; his parents; and his brother-in-law, Russell Ellsworth. Surviving are his daughter, Dana Mongillo of Seattle, Washington; grandsons, Dillon Mongillo and Finley Mongillo; a sister, Joyce Ellsworth of Greenville, Michigan; his niece Mary Eikenhout; his nephews, Chris & Cindi Ellsworth and Gene Ellsworth; and many grand nieces and nephews. Visitation with the family is from 12-1 p.m. on Monday, October 21, 2024 at Christiansen’s Michigan Cremation & Funeral Care, 511 S. Franklin Street, Greenville, where memorial services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Monday. The Rev. John Autio, pastor of Faith Lutheran Church in Sidney, will officiate and military honors, jointly rendered by the U.S. Air Force, the Ray I. Booth American Legion Post 101, and the Patriot Guard Riders of Michigan will conclude the ceremonies. Burial will take place privately at East Montcalm Cemetery. In remembrance of Loren’s life, the family asks that any charitable donations be made to Disabled American Veterans (https://help.dav.org/). To send a message of sympathy to the family, sign Loren’s online guest book, or to share a favorite memory, please visit: www.MichiganCremation.com Arrangements are entrusted to Christiansen’s Michigan Cremation & Funeral Care, Greenville, 616-754-5638. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Loren Schultz, please visit our flower store.