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Former mayor's death leaves many in community stunned

By GENE KEMMETER
of The Gazette
Stevens Point and the rest of Portage County awoke Monday, May 14, to news that 51-year-old former Stevens Point Mayor Scott Schultz was dead.

Schultz was pronounced dead at St. Michael's Hospital after being stricken with a heart attack at his residence.

In his honor, a reception/memorial was scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Friday, May 18, at Pfiffner-Pioneer Park to accommodate those unable to attend the funeral at Trinity Lutheran Church earlier in the day.

Schultz was found by his wife, Mary, when she returned home from work Sunday night.

Earlier in the evening, he had talked to his daughter Elizabeth "Betsy," who will receive a bachelor's degree from Augustana College in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Sunday, May 20.

His other daughter, Sarah, a freshman at Augsburg College in Minneapolis, Minn., tried to call him after Betsy talked to him, but her call went unanswered.

"He would contact his daughters daily," Mary said about the closeness between Schultz and his daughters.

"It's unbelievable," said former Wisconsin Gov. Lee S. Dreyfus, who knew Schultz well from his days as University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point chancellor when Schultz was a student government leader.

"I just saw him when I went up there," Dreyfus said, referring to his April 22 visit to UW-SP when a plaque was dedicated commemorating the spot on the lawn of Old Main where he had been sworn in as governor. "We had a long talk."

The death was shocking, Dreyfus said, because he's starting to see former students die before he and others in his generation. "I will really miss him," he said. "There was so much ahead for him to do."

Although Schultz is gone, Dreyfus said he will have lasting memories of him. "One of the few things I really prize," he said, "is a stained glass seal of the state of Wisconsin, and Scott made that."

The item hangs in a Dreyfus residence in Egg Harbor in Door County and Dreyfus said he thinks of Scott every time he stays there. "Fortunately, I mentioned to him how much I prized it."

John Jury, a close friend of Schultz's and the University Center administrator at UW-SP, said Schultz was a student leader when Jury first came to UW-SP as a student, but their friendship didn't begin until both became members of the Stevens Point Board of Park Commissioners in 1982.

"I was the dreamer and he was the schemer," Jury said. "He was one of the few people who could listen to my ideas and not laugh. Then he might say one of the 10 was a possibility."

They were on the board planning the city's 125th birthday in 1984, and got to be good friends, along with Al Hill, the director of the city Park and Recreation Department at the time. They planned a number of activities for the July 4 celebration that evolved into Riverfront Rendezvous in 1986.

Jury said he, Schultz and others took an annual ski trip they dubbed "Pointski" and he remembers Schultz telling them he was going to run for mayor in 1987. "Instead of playing cards, we wrote out envelopes all night. I don't think any of us thought he would win. We thought he'd be third."

Schultz won that election and then was re-elected.

"He loved the Point, just like John Anderson," he said. Anderson was the UW-SP director of news services who grew to love the community and wrote about it. Anderson died in 1994.

"He was always going to work thinking about some project that was good for the community," Jury said about Schultz. "He was so into doing what he thought was right," pointing to decisions Schultz made about water, the library and expanding the city across Interstate 39.

Jury said they had a lot of fun together. "Sometimes I could make him laugh until he got to that belly chuckle," he said.

Mayor Gary Wescott said Schultz "exemplified what public service is all about. Public service is an honorable profession." Wescott said Schultz is one of about a dozen people he has in mind when he talks to groups about public service.

"He was a powerful advocate for the people of the city." Wescott said, adding that Schultz represented Stevens Point beyond the city, serving as president of the League of Municipalities and the Alliance of Cities.

Wescott said Schultz had encouraged him to run and provided a lot of advice, especially in the first year after Wescott took office in 1995.

After leaving office, Schultz continued to serve the community on the Stevens Point Area Board of Education and as president of the Board of Water and Sewage Commissioners.

"He was very dedicated, had character, confidence and credibility," Wescott said. "I will really miss him on a personal level. He leaves behind a young family. I think our entire community is deeply saddened at the loss."

Wescott said Schultz will be remembered for several things, especially for recognizing that the east side was going to develop, either by the city, the town of Hull or the village of Plover and the city moved to control that development through annexation.

"He truly loved the parks, he was very proud of them," Wescott said, adding that Schultz also "deserves tremendous credit for construction of the downtown library."

Schultz's death came just weeks after Mark Acaley, son of Dave and Sue Acaley, Stevens Point, was shot and killed in Seattle, Wash., on April 29.

"The two were close," said Dave Acaley, adding that he felt Scott looked at Mark and Dave's younger son, B.J., as the sons he didn't have. The Acaleys and Schultzes were close. "All four of my children used him as a reference," Dave said.



	Former mayor's death leaves many in community stunned By GENE KEMMETER of The Gazette Stevens Point and the rest of Portage County awoke Monday, May 14, to news that 51-year-old former Stevens Point Mayor Scott Schultz was dead. Schultz was pronounced dead at St. Michael's Hospital after being stricken with a heart attack at his residence. In his honor, a reception/memorial was scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Friday, May 18, at Pfiffner-Pioneer Park to accommodate those unable to attend the funeral at Trinity Lutheran Church earlier in the day. Schultz was found by his wife, Mary, when she returned home from work Sunday night. Earlier in the evening, he had talked to his daughter Elizabeth "Betsy," who will receive a bachelor's degree from Augustana College in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Sunday, May 20. His other daughter, Sarah, a freshman at Augsburg College in Minneapolis, Minn., tried to call him after Betsy talked to him, but her call went unanswered. "He would contact his daughters daily," Mary said about the closeness between Schultz and his daughters. "It's unbelievable," said former Wisconsin Gov. Lee S. Dreyfus, who knew Schultz well from his days as University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point chancellor when Schultz was a student government leader. "I just saw him when I went up there," Dreyfus said, referring to his April 22 visit to UW-SP when a plaque was dedicated commemorating the spot on the lawn of Old Main where he had been sworn in as governor. "We had a long talk." The death was shocking, Dreyfus said, because he's starting to see former students die before he and others in his generation. "I will really miss him," he said. "There was so much ahead for him to do." Although Schultz is gone, Dreyfus said he will have lasting memories of him. "One of the few things I really prize," he said, "is a stained glass seal of the state of Wisconsin, and Scott made that." The item hangs in a Dreyfus residence in Egg Harbor in Door County and Dreyfus said he thinks of Scott every time he stays there. "Fortunately, I mentioned to him how much I prized it." John Jury, a close friend of Schultz's and the University Center administrator at UW-SP, said Schultz was a student leader when Jury first came to UW-SP as a student, but their friendship didn't begin until both became members of the Stevens Point Board of Park Commissioners in 1982. "I was the dreamer and he was the schemer," Jury said. "He was one of the few people who could listen to my ideas and not laugh. Then he might say one of the 10 was a possibility." They were on the board planning the city's 125th birthday in 1984, and got to be good friends, along with Al Hill, the director of the city Park and Recreation Department at the time. They planned a number of activities for the July 4 celebration that evolved into Riverfront Rendezvous in 1986. Jury said he, Schultz and others took an annual ski trip they dubbed "Pointski" and he remembers Schultz telling them he was going to run for mayor in 1987. "Instead of playing cards, we wrote out envelopes all night. I don't think any of us thought he would win. We thought he'd be third." Schultz won that election and then was re-elected. "He loved the Point, just like John Anderson," he said. Anderson was the UW-SP director of news services who grew to love the community and wrote about it. Anderson died in 1994. "He was always going to work thinking about some project that was good for the community," Jury said about Schultz. "He was so into doing what he thought was right," pointing to decisions Schultz made about water, the library and expanding the city across Interstate 39. Jury said they had a lot of fun together. "Sometimes I could make him laugh until he got to that belly chuckle," he said. Mayor Gary Wescott said Schultz "exemplified what public service is all about. Public service is an honorable profession." Wescott said Schultz is one of about a dozen people he has in mind when he talks to groups about public service. "He was a powerful advocate for the people of the city." Wescott said, adding that Schultz represented Stevens Point beyond the city, serving as president of the League of Municipalities and the Alliance of Cities. Wescott said Schultz had encouraged him to run and provided a lot of advice, especially in the first year after Wescott took office in 1995. After leaving office, Schultz continued to serve the community on the Stevens Point Area Board of Education and as president of the Board of Water and Sewage Commissioners. "He was very dedicated, had character, confidence and credibility," Wescott said. "I will really miss him on a personal level. He leaves behind a young family. I think our entire community is deeply saddened at the loss." Wescott said Schultz will be remembered for several things, especially for recognizing that the east side was going to develop, either by the city, the town of Hull or the village of Plover and the city moved to control that development through annexation. "He truly loved the parks, he was very proud of them," Wescott said, adding that Schultz also "deserves tremendous credit for construction of the downtown library." Schultz's death came just weeks after Mark Acaley, son of Dave and Sue Acaley, Stevens Point, was shot and killed in Seattle, Wash., on April 29. "The two were close," said Dave Acaley, adding that he felt Scott looked at Mark and Dave's younger son, B.J., as the sons he didn't have. The Acaleys and Schultzes were close. "All four of my children used him as a reference," Dave said.