Deacon Gary L. Schultz

FARMINGTON — A funeral Mass will be celebrated on Monday, April 24, at St. Matthew Church here for Deacon Gary L. Schultz, a member of the Diocese of Peoria’s eighth class of permanent deacons. Msgr. Timothy Nolan will preside at the 11 a.m. liturgy.

Burial will follow at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Farmington.

A visitation is planned from 3 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, April 23, at Anderson Sedgwick Funeral Home in Farmington.

Deacon Schultz died on April 14, 2023. He was 75.

The son of Milton J. and Rita (Lottinville) Schultz, Deacon Shultz was born on Dec. 17, 1947, in Kankakee. He married Linda A. Loiselle on June 14, 1975, and they had three daughters, Alexis (Dan) Jansen of Champaign; Sara (Matt) Haas of Burlington, Iowa; and Andrea (Scott) Schultz Winter of Freeport. All survive, as do six grandchildren; a sister, Lisa (Bob) Themer of Kankakee; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his siblings, Poly Ann Schultz and Barton Schultz; and his son-in-law, Christopher Maubach.

Deacon Schultz attended Illinois State University, earning a bachelor’s degree in social studies with a teaching endorsement and a master’s degree in educational administration. He began his long career in education as a high school history teacher in Mazon, and would go on to serve as principal in Potomac and Farmington.

After his retirement in 2003, he entered formation as a permanent deacon. He was ordained by Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, on May 19, 2007, at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Peoria and was on the formation team for the next two classes of permanent deacons for the Diocese of Peoria.

In addition to giving 10 years to the permanent deacons who would be ordained in 2012 and 2017, Deacon Schultz was active at his assigned parishes of St. Matthew in Farmington and St. Mary in Canton. Msgr. Nolan, his pastor, said he was ministering up to the day before his death, preaching at morning Mass and making Communion calls.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Farmington Academic Foundation or St. Matthew Church.