As my father-in-law, Walt Schulenberg’s birthday came around this year, I found myself thinking a lot about the man who was like a second dad to me for 40 years before his passing. Like with my parents, it’s still hard to believe he’s gone, even though it’s been over four years now. There are so many things I miss about him, especially his smile. Whenever we visited, he was always genuinely happy to see us, and his smile said it all. He had a great sense of humor, loved to laugh, and was a skilled teaser—something we bonded over since I come from a family of teasers too. In his later years, I had the privilege of caring for him, and it truly was a blessing to spend that time together. We often talked about family history, and he helped me fill in many gaps on that side of the family. We also just talked about life and the past. Those were such sweet times.
My father-in-law was always ready to pitch in and lend a hand. He worked tirelessly until the job was finished. I often called him a workaholic, and I wasn’t exaggerating or wrong. He passed that same work ethic on to his children, all of whom are dedicated workers. His philosophy was simple: work hard until the job is done and done right. If something was worth doing, it was worth doing well. He carried that mindset through every job he held over the years, and each workplace was sorry to see him go.
He worked hard, but his family was the most important part of his life. They were always his top priority. He adored every child, grandchild, and great-grandchild with all his heart. He made toys for them, played games, and let them “help” with his projects at home, teaching them along the way. Every one of the kids and grandkids had a turn working with Grandpa, and they loved it. He never made them feel like they were in the way. Of course, their favorite times were spent just playing with him…what child wouldn’t love that? He was a loving father and grandfather to all the children and grandchildren, as well as to his 
sons-in-law and daughters-in-law. He was a good man, and I feel privileged to have known him. Today would have been my father-in-law’s 97th birthday, and I wish he were here so we could celebrate. Happy birthday in Heaven, Dad. We love and miss you deeply.
