George Schulte

Dates

Obituary

George Schulte, 65, of Alexandria, SD, died Thursday, October 14, 2021, at his home under hospice care in rural Alexandria. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 AM Friday, October 22, at Holy Family Catholic Church in Mitchell. Burial will be at St. Martin’s Catholic Cemetery in Emery. Visitation will be from 5-7:00 PM Thursday, October 21, with a 6:30 PM Scripture Service at St. Mary of Mercy Catholic Church in Alexandria. Arrangements by Bittner Funeral Chapel.

George Schulte was born at Avera Queen of Peace hospital in Mitchell, SD, on August 20, 1956 to Andrew and Eva (Garry) Schulte, Emery, SD. He attended St. Martins Catholic School and graduated from Emery High School in 1974. George married his wife Brenda in a quiet ceremony at Holy Family Church, Mitchell, SD in 1988. The couple lived on an acreage east of Alexandria for many years before purchasing their own acreage north of Alexandria in 1997. 

George was a long-time member of St. Martins Catholic Church, where he was baptized in the Christian Faith. In the last few years, he decided to become a member of Holy Family Church where he attended mass until COVID 19, and his health kept him home. He faithfully watched church services online each Sunday. He was also a long-time member of the Emery Fire Department and was also in charge of St. Martins Church properties for 10 years.

George is survived by his wife, Brenda; stepson, Joshua Stanfield; grandson, Dakota Stanfield; and siblings, Nancy Weber, Robert (Linda), Charles (Bonnie), Richard (Julie), Martin Schulte, Dennis (Carol), Garry (Judy), and Nicholas (Lori); and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Joan Berg; brother, Kenneth; and nephew Chad Schulte.

Following is an excerpt from Jacob Bailey, General Manager CHS:

George was a long-standing cooperative man that started right out of high school with GTA in Emery, SD on November 18, 1974. He worked under Harold Gieser in Emery until Harold started in Mitchell in 1979. In November of 1985, Emery was sold, and Harold hired George to manage the Alexandria elevator. George spent the rest of his career, until his retirement in late 2019 due to health concerns, in Alexandria. He loved being able to serve our producers and that next generation as he watched the operations be passed down. George was someone that loved agriculture, rural America and had an amazing passion for serving our producers. He saw many changes within the cooperative system and the agricultural industry but through all of that, his passion for our producers and love for agriculture was unmatched.

George loved to hunt, fish, and farm.  He worked for Cenex Harvest States for 44 years beginning at the age of 18 until his passing on Thursday, October 14, 2021.  He was a loyal employee who went above and beyond for his customers.  Whether it was putting a sack of feed on the step after hours or weighing a beef or coming in on a Sunday because a customer needed milk replacer.  He always had a soft spot for baby animals of all kinds!  He once live trapped two adolescent coons and decided to take them down to the river and let them go.  Sorry to the farmers that may have been affected!  I won’t say where he found them a new home!  He was always available to help bottle feed orphaned kittens and in his last days, his beloved pet cats, Dude and Sissy brought him much joy and comfort. 

I’m sure many of his friends he hunted with over the years know this story…but I had to learn it and live it before I believed it.  George would take me road hunting pheasants down old dirt roads he had hunted many times over the years.  I could never figure out how he could “see” a pheasant, hop out of the car or truck (her preferred a car) and shoot a bird before I ever knew what had happened.  Little did I know, he could “hear” the pheasants.  As we would drive along with our windows open, he would slowly stop and either get out and walk back from where we just passed, or he would quickly drive back and hop out and shoot.  The secret he had was he could hear the birds running in the grass “as we went by”!  It still amazes me, this special talent he had.  When I asked him how he did it, he said, “I listen, not talk”. 

The pheasant feather in the remembrance case made by his brother Marty, is a symbol of this skill as well as another quirky event he lived through for many years.  When George was working in the Emery elevator, him and Tom Clark and Ron Thuringer were always busy during harvest.  It seems the regular joke was for farmers to hunt pheasant as they were combining and throw the bird in the grain wagon for George to find as he emptied the corn—right Jim?  He always got a kick out of that and with a chuckle he said, “he’s supposed to be combining not hunting!”

George was a faithful man in all ways.  He loved his God, and he loved his wife and loved his stepson Joshua and the life we all had together.  He was a staunch supporter and defender of Josh when kids do what kids do, and always logical and understanding.  The joy of his life is Josh’s son, Dakota.  George was always willing to drive to Huron to pick him up for the weekend or take him home again, cherishing the time they spent together on the road.  He looked forward the time Dakota spent at the farm.  Whether it was riding in the tractor with papa, riding the 4-wheeler, or going to the elevator, Dakota was always ready to go. 

One of my early lessons in my marriage to George was don’t argue with a logical man!  No matter how determined I was to do something or buy something, he was always logical about it and usually right!  Once in a great while, I was right and he would admit such.  I loved this about him, it gave me comfort to know I was being watched out for.

I know as I close today, many will remember with a smile, George’s old saying, whether hello or good-bye, “here’s lookin’ up your ol’ address”!  Lifting his glass or beer in a salute!

George’s earthly mission is complete—well done faithful servant—well done!