Tommy Darrel Schulz, 86, died December 26, 2022, on his farm in Birch Tree, Missouri.
Tommy was born in Collins, Iowa, on June 29, 1936, to George Earl Schulz and Cleffie Pauline (Moody) Schulz. He moved from Iowa to Arkansas and then to Missouri, where he met and married Henrietta (Cafourek) Schulz of Birch Tree on March 12, 1965. To this union, six children were born.
Tommy was always fascinated with how things work and how to fix them. He acquired the childhood nickname “Tinker Tom” because of his interest in taking things apart and putting them back together. Tommy worked many jobs as a kid including handy boy, newspaper boy, farm hand, field tile layer, carpenter, and road construction crew member.
He then joined the U.S. Army in 1958 and served four years at Fort Leonard Wood, MO, or as he called it, “Fort Lost in the Woods”. After the army, Tommy worked at the Chevrolet Dealership & Garage in Mountain View, MO as a mechanic; on a road construction crew in Iowa; as a washer/dryer repair man around Kansas City for his brother Ray; at the Edison-Ford Dealership in Mountain View, MO; and at the Mountain View Auto Parts for Gerry Brown. He also built seed, corn, and grain companies with his brother-in-law Mert in Missouri and Iowa and owned a gas station in Birch Tree, MO. He then worked for the City of Mountain View, where he served as a maintenance crew member, and later retired to devote all his time to the family cattle farm.
Tommy was a hard worker and a fierce lover of his family. Those that knew him know he always spoke his mind, for better or worse. His humble passion was to take care of the family farm and his family with the support of his loving wife. He never lost his sense of humor, love for tinkering, storytelling, and taking care of the farm. He will be deeply missed by those who loved him.
He is survived by his loving wife, Henrietta (Cafourek) Schulz of the home; children, Ricky Eugene Schulz and wife Tammy, Cindy Lynn (Schulz) Bradford and husband Steve, Tricia Ann (Schulz) Rector and husband Travis, Susan Rae Schulz, Terry Lee Schulz, and Greta Marie Schulz and husband Jake; 12 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; siblings, Norma Mae (Schulz) McDanel, George Wayne Schulz, Wanda Irene (Schulz) Conner, Ray Schulz and wife Betty, Kenneth Lee Schulz, James Leroy Schulz, Earl Edward Schulz, Lois Pauline (Schulz) Mattison and husband Steve, Sharon Kay (Schulz) Collins and husband Lenny, Peggy Sue (Schulz) Preu and husband Larry, Robert Dean Schulz, and Dennis Eugene Schulz; and countless cousins, nieces, and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his father, George Earl Schulz; mother, Cleffie Pauline (Moody) Schulz; and brothers, Leamon Elmer Schulz, and John Truman Schulz and wife Sherry.
At his request, no service will be held.
