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Obituary: Dr. Roy Schultz

It is with profound sadness that we share the news of the passing of Dr. Roy Schultz. Dr. Schultz was both a Charter and Life Member of AASP/V. He was a past president of the AASV, and served on numerous committees of the AASV, the American Veterinary Medical Association, and the U.S. Animal Health Association. He earned several awards from the AASV including Swine Practitioner of the Year, Howard Dunne Memorial Award, Howard Dunne Lecturer, and the prestigious Heritage Award.

In 2006, the Communications Committee captured some of Dr. Schultz’s legacy as an AASP founding member in a Heritage video, available for members to view at https://www.aasv.org/members/only/video/Schultz/.

Obituary

Roy "Doc" Schultz was born on a three-room rural farmhouse west of Treynor, Iowa on February 23, 1933 to Donald and Dorthea Schultz. When he was 10 years old, the family moved from the Treynor area to a farm north of Avoca, Iowa.

Doc attended a one-room rural school in Shelby County through the 8th grade. He graduated top of his class at Avoca High School. He began attending Iowa State College, then served in the army during the Korean War. When he returned home from the war, he returned to Iowa State. In 1958, he married Jan Thorson, who he had met at Iowa State. Doc graduated with his DVM in 1960 and moved back to Avoca to be in veterinary practice with Dr. Robert Wunder where he worked until 1979.

In 1979, he returned to Iowa State where he worked with Dr. Richard Ross to help discover a cure for a disease running rampant through the pig population. Because of this, he was requested around the world to speak and to help with swine His many honors and awards include Iowa State University 1st Science in Practice Award, American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV) Practitioner of the Year, and AASV Heritage Award. Besides these and many other awards, Roy is the only foreign veterinarian to receive the Venezuela Swine Practitioner of the Year award.

Doc was always quick to direct any credit for his achievements to his wife, Jan, and his colleagues. Doc enjoyed his veterinary practice and especially the relationships with all his clients and colleagues. He also loved hunting and fishing which became a big part of his life.

On Sunday, December 18, 2022, Doc passed away at Avoca Specialty having attained the age of 89 years, 9 months and 25 days. He was preceded in death by his parents; wife Jan; sisters Bernice Lee and Dorothy Carroll.

Left to cherish his memory are his children Dr. Gary Schultz and wife Taylor of Avoca, Iowa; Kathy Schultz of Colorado Springs, Colorado; Kent Schultz and his wife LaVerne of Plano, Texas; 7 grandchildren: Dagny, Henry, Mary, Anne, Grace, Reed and Emily; great-grandson Thomas; special friend Beverly Schroder; nieces and nephews, other family and many friends.

Published by Pauley Jones Funeral Home – Avoca Chapel on Dec. 19, 2022.

Service

Family will greet friends
December 27, 2022
5:00-7:00pm
Pauley Jones Funeral Home, Avoca, Iowa

Funeral Service
December 28, 2022
10:30am
United Church of Avoca, Iowa

Interment
Graceland Cemetery Avoca, Iowa