Agnes E. Schultz

Agnes E. Schultz, 101, of St. Joseph, passed away on Sunday, November 4, 2012 at Lakeland Regional Medical Center, St. Joseph. A Celebration of Life Service will be held Friday, November 9, 2012 at 11:30 A.M. at Trinity Lutheran Church, 619 Market Street, St. Joseph, with Rev. Michael J. Roth officiating. Burial will follow in Crystal Springs Cemetery, Benton Harbor. Friends may call from 10:00 to 11:30 A.M. prior to the service at the church. Memorials may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church. Those wishing to send a condolence online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com An original “sand rabbit,” Agnes was born October 28, 1911, at the family home, 619 Lake St., St. Joseph, Mich. to Samuel & Ernestine (Nerenberg) Grieger. She shared many joyful memories of a childhood spent on the “sugar sand” beach of Lake Michigan. Agnes was baptized into the Lutheran faith at Trinity Lutheran Church in St. Joseph and was valedictorian of the first graduating class of its grade school. She also attended Fort Wayne Business College in Indiana. She was an original member of the American Historical Society of the Germans from Russia and its first secretary. She held membership in the Farm Bureau. Agnes was a “working” woman at a young age, helping her mother and aunts care for younger siblings and cousins and picking fruit on relatives’ farms. Her formal working career started at Cooper Wells. She worked briefly at Industial Rubber until she became an advertisement secretary for the News Palladium. She retired at age 65. As a young adult Agnes lived in the family home while raising her son, Gene, and working. Gene became an intelligent, educated, and caring man, who shared his mother’s love of learning and beauty. After Gene established his home, Agnes remained, working and helping her parents until she met Adam. On September 12, 1959 at St. Matthew Lutheran Church, Benton Harbor, Mich., Agnes married Adam Schultz. She began a new career as a fruit farmer’s wife and she loved it. The farm, house, barn, fields, and being surrounded by nature were a delight. She participated in the growing of fruit from blossom to harvest. After Adam’s death, she returned to St. Joseph. Agnes is survived by her sister, Gladys Grieger, nieces and nephews, Cathie (Joe) Pflaumer, Mary Lou (Tom) Miller, Joan Grieger, Rick (Talia) Grieger, and Dr. Tom (Deb) Grieger, eight great nieces and nephews, many great great nieces and nephews, and cousins in the United States and Canada. Agnes was preceded in death by her husband, son, parents, brothers, Walter, Harold, and Edwin, three sisters-in-law, and nephew Edwin Grieger. Agnes was a good and faithful woman to her family and her church. She cared and prayed for her entire family. On many visits one always could find her Bible within her reach or being read. She was a reader, who loved history, angels, beauty, and nature. She goes now to rejoin her family circle and to her eternal rest. Auf Wiedersehen, Tante Agnes Ernestine, Danke schön