Walter (Wally) Schuman, 92 years old, passed away surrounded by family on Saturday, January 9, 2021. Walter was a native of St. Leon and chose his hometown to raise his family of nine children with wife Mary Dall Schuman. After meeting at a local dance, Mary and Wally were married in 1956 at St. Paul’s Church in New Alsace. Wally was a simple man and one of few words, until you got him talking about the ‘ol days. Then he would share many stories with friends, reminiscing about the good times. Walter joined the United States Army as a mechanic from 1954-1956. He later joined St. Joseph Legion Post 464. Wally was a hard worker, evidenced by the long hours he put in at Schuman’s Garage, which he started with his father. At the garage, they sold International Harvester farm implements, trucks, scouts, parts and appliances. They also fixed pretty much anything you could think of. Along the way, Wally taught many local kids, including his own, about mechanic work. After a long career at the garage, Wally sold the business to his three sons, which they still run today. In his retirement years, Wally started his second career as a farmer and purchased the family farm soon after his mother passed away. Working on the farm wasn’t really working to Wally as he loved his days on the tractor and romping with the cows.
Walter was instrumental in starting up the St. Leon Volunteer Fire Department over 50 years ago. The desire to do this stemmed from seeing the devastation from a neighbor’s house that burnt down because there was not a fire department nearby. Wally’s initiative would ensure safety and a local fire department for St. Leon and the surrounding local towns. He was the assistant fire chief as well as the fire chief for 20+ years each. Walter and Mary worked the Fireman’s Festival every summer and the Schuman family was always in charge of a stand or booth. The kids were encouraged to work there when Walter and Mary gave them money to spend at the various games. The kids will tell you that more money was spent supporting the Fireman’s Festival than was spent at Christmas. Wally loved to sell raffle tickets and sold the most with his saying “You got a dollar?!”. Beyond the Fireman’s Festival, Wally loved to support the church picnics by attending and frying chicken. When he wasn’t able to frequent them as often as he would like, he would still support the effort by requesting that the kids bring chicken dinners home.
Wally loved going to the Franklin County Antique and Machinery Show and would spend a good part of each day at the show. He suggested, along with a few others, to begin the tradition of riding tractors to the show. This parade now includes about 40 tractors that leave St. Leon and head to Brookville as people line the streets to watch them. The feast of St. Joseph was also very near and dear to Walter’s heart and he never missed this annual mass. As a couple Wally and Mary loved going to the local dances around town; square dancing was one of their favorites and they were proud to say they were pretty good at it! Walter reveled in the fact that he was a grandpa, and a huge smile would light up his face as he held his grandkids. He loved the fact that he was so fortunate to have so many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Walter will be greatly missed by his wife, Mary, of 64 years; children Don-Unser (Mary) Schuman, Cathy (Aloys-Butch) Knecht, Ron (Angie) Schuman, Mike (Anita) Schuman, Patrick Schuman, Steve (Donna) Schuman, Jim Schuman, Julie Baker, Mark (Dawn) Schuman; brother Joe (Martha) Schuman, Sister-in-laws Shirley Schuman, and Pat Schuman; 20 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents Joseph G. and Rose (Rosfeld) Schuman, brothers Lawrence, William, Harold, and Richard, and sisters Viola Andres, Matilda Bischoff, Francis Andres, Loretta Bihr, and Alberta Mergenthal; grandchild Dustin Schuman and great grandchild Carter Bond.
Visitation for Walter will be on Thursday, January 14 from 4:00 – 7:00pm at Parish Life Center of All Saints Parish in St. Leon; rosary will begin at 4:00. Mass of Christian burial will be held on Friday, January 15 at 10:30am at St. Joseph’s Campus of All Saints Parish with burial immediately following. Memorials can be made to St. Leon Volunteer Fire Department and All Saints Parish. Memorials will be accepted at the Parish Life Center or can be mailed to Andres-Wuestefeld Funeral Home at 25615 State Rt. 1, Guilford, IN 47022. Please visit www.andres-wuestefeldfh.com to sign the online guestbook or leave condolences.
In compliance with the Governor’s mandate regarding COVID-19, please remember the social distancing guidelines and the wearing of masks. To comply with Dearborn County guidelines, only 25 attendants will be allowed into the visitation at a time. Funeral home staff will be assisting with this so that everyone has a chance to pay their respects in a safe and reverent manner. Mass attendance will remain at 150 people and will also be lived streamed at https://www.youtube.com/user/aspweeklyhomily.