Former Rossford mayor spent 44 years at L-O-F

12/9/2002

Benjamin Schultz, a former mayor of Rossford who was so well-known in the community his family said he was referred to by one name, died Friday of heart failure in the home of his daughter, Judy Sikorski, three blocks from the house where he was born. He was 86.

“He only had to have one name. When you talked about Benny in town, everyone knew who it was,” Mrs. Sikorski said.

Mr. Schultz served on the Rossford City Council from 1953 to 1967 and as mayor from 1967 to 1975. Mrs. Sikorski said her father worked hard for the community during his time in public service, including pushing for the construction of the Rossford Marina and Rossford High School Stadium.

“He used to say if you're going to stay here, get involved and leave a footprint because if you don't, it's like you've never been here at all. And he did leave a footprint,” Mrs. Sikorski said.

Jim LaPlante, Mr. Schultz's best friend for 60 years, said his friend “was a real nice fellow. Very easy to get along with.”

He said Mrs. Sikorski is right about Mr. Schultz being well known in Rossford.

“Everybody in Rossford knew him,” he said.

Mr. LaPlante praised his friend's work at Libbey-Owens-Ford, now known as Pilkington. The two met there in the 1930s, and Mr. LaPlante said his friend “always did his share and maybe more.”

Mrs. Sikorski said her father, while working hard at L-O-F and for the city, always insisted on spending weekends with his family. “He was the kind of dad I wish every kid could have,” she said. “I lost my hero.”

Mr. Schultz was superintendent of Tufflex and Old Edging at L-O-F when he retired in the 1970s after 44 years and moved to a house on Long Beach in Oak Harbor, although he still made frequent trips into Rossford.

His other community activities included serving as, secretary of the Wood County Improvement Corp., serving as president of the Long Beach Association, and serving as a member of the transportation committee of the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments.

He was a member of St. Mary Magdalene Church Council. He was an avid football fan and enjoyed fishing, gardening, and debating politics.

Surviving are his daughters, Judy and Suzanne Kimble; brother, Stan; six grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at All Saints Catholic Church, Rossford. The body will be in the Sujkowski Funeral Home, Rossford, after 2 p.m. tomorrow.

The family requests tributes to All Saints Vision 2000 Fund, All Saints School, or Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Martin, Ohio.