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Gary Lee Schultz, age 90 years, of Belvidere, IL. went to be with the Lord on May 11, 2024.

He was born on a farm on November 5, 1933 near Tampico, IL. To William and Esther (nee Spotts) Schultz. His birth certificate reads November 6 because the attending physician reported the birth in December and missed it by a day. Gary married his sweetheart, Barbara Peterson, on August 20, 1955 at St. John's Lutheran Church in Sterling. He graduated from Rock Falls H.S. in 1951. Gary attended Evangelical Covenant Church in Belvidere. He enjoyed gardening, fishing, traveling, spending time with his family. Gary served his country in the United States Air Force from 1951 to 1955. During the Korean War, he was a ground radio man and was attached to the Army supporting the Marines. Gary and his brother, Don, spent 2 days together on a mountain top north of Seoul at Christmas of 1952. He was elated to go on Vets Roll in 2012 from Beloit/Rockford. Gary was a member of Belvidere VFW Post #1461 and American Legion Boone Post #77. He graduated from University of Illinois and attended Knox College, Purdue University, and Illinois State University. Gary worked as a Systems Engineer for IBM, where he helped program the mainframe that ran Standard Oil's Whiting Refinery's Flow Control in the early 1960's, and The Chrysler Corporation where he installed the first 2 computers that printed the track sheets out in the Belvidere Assembly Plant in 1965. In 1965, Gary left Chrysler and went to Rock Valley College, which opened in 1965, teaching Data Processing. His first love was mathematics and there was not an opening at RVC in the Math department, so he went to Belvidere High School and taught Math for one year. He went back to RVC after learning that an opening in the Math department developed, and there he taught math until retiring in 1992. Gary LOVED teaching, and was beloved by his students as he strove to make Math accessible and relevant to his students, and he treasured being remembered and greeted by his former students up to 30+ years after retirement. Gary frequented Belvidere's Keen Age Center where he treasured his Wednesday Pool games with fellow Veterans, and his occasional breakfast meetings with retired Rock Valley Teachers. He will be missed by his sons, Tom (Ginger) and Tim (Sandy) Schultz; his grandchildren, Stephen (Brenda Samuelson) Schultz, Michael Schultz, Ashley (Cody) Fredricksen, Erik (Amanda) Tremaine, Timothy J. Schultz, and Jessica Lamb; and his 4 great-grandchildren including, Jessa Rae Schultz, Caelan Fredricksen, and Ally Fredricksen. Gary was preceded in death by his parents; his beloved wife, Barbara; his daughter, Tammy Marie Lamb, and 6 siblings; Dean, Bette, Stanley, Shirlie, Don, and Roger. Visitation will be 10:00-11:00 AM, Friday, May 17, 2024, at Anderson Funeral and Cremation Services, 218 W. Hurlbut Ave., Belvidere, followed by 11:00 AM Funeral Ceremony at Anderson Funeral and Cremation Services. Gary will be placed at rest next to Barbara in Oak Knoll Memorial Park, Sterling IL. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Evangelical Covenant Church or the Donor's Choice. Gary's family would like to thank numerous friends, neighbors, and caregivers, namely long-time neighbors Lavonne Spangler, Kevin Craig, Kathy Arnett; church friends including Wayne Hulstedt; his OSF Medical Team, especially Julie; and his Hospice Care Team headed by Gina and their Veterans Detachment; and the Park Place staff, for your kind & compassionate care.