REV. OSCAR CONRAD SCHULTZ, 1928-2014
Pastor was on faculty at Winebrenner
1/27/2014FINDLAY — The Rev. Oscar Conrad Schultz, a faculty member at Winebrenner Theological Seminary who taught the Old Testament and Hebrew language, died Friday at The Heritage nursing facility in Findlay.
Mr. Schultz, 85, suffered from several illnesses and moved to the nursing facility two weeks ago for rehabilitation, said his wife, Abigail Rose. The cause of death wasn’t immediately determined, she said.
Mr. Schultz was born on July 5, 1928, in Frederick County, Maryland, the eighth of 10 children, to Clarence Oscar and Emily Schultz.
He moved to Findlay after graduating high school in Maryland to take up studies at Findlay College, now the University of Findlay, and at Winebrenner, where he received a bachelor of divinity degree.
He received a master of arts from Johns Hopkins University on Baltimore.
He served as pastor with the Churches of God in Lamar, Colo., and at churches in eastern Pennsylvania before returning to Findlay to join the Winebrenner faculty, his wife said.
He majored in mathematics in college, but knew early on that his true calling was to serve as a pastor, his wife said.
“His major purpose in life was to be a minister,” Mrs. Schultz said.
In 2010, the Churches of God’s Eastern Regional Conference honored him for 60 years as a minister.
He learned Hebrew to delve further into the Old Testament, she said, and he taught both subjects. Mr. Schultz also learned Greek to advance his knowledge of the Old Testament, but never taught that subject, she said.
He taught at Winebrenner for 16 years and retired some 30 years ago, his wife said.
Teaching didn’t end with his retirement, however.
He taught Sunday school as a member of College First Church of God, where he remained active for 40 years.
Mr. Schultz was an active member of Findlay’s Lions Club, serving as district governor, and was involved in the local Masonic lodge.
His interests included history, genealogy, and archeology, which included two trips to Jordan as a teacher to participate in excavations, his wife said.
Mr. Schultz is survived by his wife of 65 years, Abigail Rose; daughters Jeanette Berg and Jane Sharp; son Timothy; seven grandchildren, five great-grandchildren; sisters Frances Burdette, Margaret Burdette, and Constance Shafer.
Visitation will be from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. today at Coldren-Crates Funeral Home, Findlay, where a Masonic service will be held at 7:30 p.m., followed by an Order of the Eastern Star service.
The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at College First Church of God, Findlay, with visitation one hour beforehand.
Memorials are suggested to the University of Findlay or Winebrenner Theological Seminary.