Daniel P. Schultz, age 79, passed away at his home in Centralia, IL on Wednesday, November 19th.
He was born in Aurora, IL on August 19th, 1946, the first son of Paul and Katherine Schultz.
There will be a Celebration of Life gathering for Daniel:
January 25th from 1-5 pm in Yorkville IL.
Yorkville American Legion
9054 East Veterans Parkway, Yorkville IL 60560.
Refreshments will be available.
Dress is casual. Please bring a story of Dan to share.
Dan was raised on the family farm in Bristol IL, a place that would remain central to his life and values. There, he learned the art of agriculture alongside his father; rearing cattle, hogs, and chickens, growing crops, as well as a large vegetable garden from which he made regular deliveries to the local food bank. As a child, he was an altar boy at St Patrick’s church in Bristol and attended regularly for many years. He graduated at the top of his class from Marmion Military Academy, where he was captain of the football team, ran track and was junior class president. He went on from there to graduate from Illinois Benedictine University.
After college he was wed to Janis Gabel. They moved to North Carolina, where he worked as a heavy equipment operator and then on to San Antonio, Texas, where he began his teaching career. From there, they lived near Stuttgart, Germany where their son was born and he continued to teach. He became an active and respected member of the teachers’ union. They returned to Oswego, IL where their daughter was born and he returned to farming corn and soybeans with his family. He started teaching mathematics at Lincoln Jr High School where he was a track and cross country coach. He was also an official starter for his son’s swim team. While working at Lincoln, he obtained his masters degree and retired from teaching after 40 years of service.
Dan was an avid gardener and enjoyed growing a variety of trees and wildflowers. He had a small landscaping business, and mowed many lawns in his lifetime. He loved tractors, and just about everything with an engine, but his true passion was restoring vintage vehicles. His stand-out, award-winner was his prized 1965 Shelby Mustang. He also restored a classic 4X4 Jeep CJ-7 and his last custom build was a very interesting rat-rod, a combination of a few antique trucks put together. He enjoyed bringing these to local car shows and winning trophies and awards.
Dan was a devoted and loving father. He spent countless hours supporting Joshua and Morgann in their pursuits – always present, encouraging, and proud. The Schultz farm remained a cornerstone of his family life – filled with hard work, laughter, and shared memories. Dan cherished the time spent working the land and he continued a tradition passed down through the generations.
Dan will be remembered as a man of principle, perseverance, and quiet strength – a hardworking farmer, dedicated teacher, loving father, and steadfast advocate for those around him. His legacy lives on in the lives he touched, the values he instilled, and the family he loved so dearly.
Daniel is survived by his son, Joshua Schultz, daughter, Morgann Schultz, their mother, Janis (Gabel) Mann, long-time companion, Marjorie Aull, and his brother Edward Schultz. He will be remembered alongside his late sister Annie Ostreko, mother, Katherine (Heiman) Schultz, brother, Thomas Schultz and Father, Paul B. Schultz.
Celebration of Life gathering:
January 25th from 1-5 pm in Yorkville IL.
The Yorkville American Legion
9054 East Veterans Parkway, Yorkville IL 60560.
Refreshments will be available.
Dress is casual. Please bring a story of Dan to share.