Douglas Louis Schultz
June 20, 1940 – January 2, 2021
Age 80 of Brooklyn Center, died Jan. 2, 2021 from complications of COVID-19.
Doug was born June 20, 1940 in Willmar, Minnesota, the son of the late Walter A. and Viola A (Dinkel) Schultz. Doug attended a one room country school for many years and then graduated from Bertha HS in 1958. Following graduation, he attended Northwest Airline school where he worked in ticketing and baggage at airports in Minneapolis, Chicago, and Miami. While in Miami he met and married Jan Sutton, his former wife and mother of his children Wendee, Steve and Thom. They returned to Minneapolis where Doug began his career in the insurance industry. He moved to Sioux Falls as a regional Sales Manager for Mutual Service Industries and then back to the Minneapolis area. After 12 years at MSI he became an independent insurance agent forming the Insurance Connection. In 1992, Doug and his former wife Claudia Stack, formed FYI agency which they later moved to the Ameristar Agency. During this time Doug and Claudia became foster parents to Devon Alwin. Doug will be remembered for nurturing the careers of many in the insurance industry. He created The Quiet Circle, a networking group for small business owners which continues to this day.
Doug met Kandy Mitchell at a mutual friend’s card party in 2000 and their lives were forever changed. Doug retired in 2003 and began joining Kandy on her work travels. On his motorcycle, Shania, he circled all the great lakes, rode the length of the Mississippi, and explored the Pacific coastline. He had a love of all things racing be it snowmobiles, NASCAR, motorcycles and recently remote-control cars.
After several renovations, their home on Twin Lake in Brooklyn Center, became a gathering spot for family and friends. He loved to host large family reunions and neighborhood parties with live music. But most often Gramps, aka PopPop, aka Dougie was seen dragging all the kiddos around the lake on tubes, holding fishing contests, and grilling burgers and brats. His fantastic sense of humor and optimistic outlook on life serve as inspiration to us all.
In 2008, Doug and Kandy began trading the cold MN winters for the warmth of the AZ desert. He quickly became a favorite on E (Easy) Street in the Towerpoint Resort in Mesa. Whether organizing the holiday street lighting or starting the weekly men’s golf league (where his name tag said Sergeant Schultz) he was in his element. He even managed to learn the AZ 2-step. Doug most loved playing golf with his buddies and he was proud of his Hole-In-One. Driving between AZ and MN each year allowed him to take in the National Parks, Native American cultures and any other site he might encounter. His favorite saying was, “Wherever you go there you are.”
Doug’s generous heart led him to become involved early on with the March of Dimes and he enjoyed being hands on in many community endeavors. In the last few years, he took pleasure in randomly handing out Thank You cards with a bit of cash inside to members of the military and law enforcement he might encounter while traveling.
Surviving to treasure Doug’s memory are his wife Kandy, his sisters Marsha (Jerry) Jones, Gloria Schultz, children Wendee Howell (fiancé Mike Dahle), Steve (Chauncey) Schultz, Thom Schultz and Devon Alwin (David Rodriguez), step-daughter Brooke (Ron) Long, step-son Kirk (Julie) Mitchell, grandchildren Kacey Howell (Trevor Garner), Alyssa Howell, Breanna Schultz, Andrew Schultz, Mirabella and David Rodriguez, Eliot and Will Mitchell, Mitchell and Sydney Long and great grandson Liam Howell.
A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date when it is again safe for all of us who loved Doug to gather together.
Memorials may be made to Doug’s favorite charities, the MN-ND Alzheimer’s Association or The Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg, CO. (Published in the Star Tribune on January 10, 2021)