David Lee Schultz was born Nov. 22, 1954, in McCook, Nebraska, the fourth child of Frederick and Alice (Hunt) Schultz. Dave was on a beloved fishing trip in Colorado when he succumbed to a massive stroke. He passed away Sept. 26, 2026, at Intermountain Health of Wheat Ridge, Colorado at 71 years old.

He grew up on his folk’s farm with four siblings in rural Red Willow County. He valued the farming lifestyle; it ran deep in his blood, gaining a strong work ethic that stayed with him his whole life. He was multi tasked in all things needing fixed or repaired.

He attended Beaver Valley School, where he participated in athletics which included football, basketball and track. He graduated from Beaver Valley High School with the Class of 1973. After graduating, he was employed at Parker Hose Plant of McCook, Nebraska. Dave married his high school sweetheart, Tina Fitzgerald, in McCook on Oct. 11, 1974, passing a few weeks before their 52nd anniversary. To this union two children were born, Gary and Hilary.

He spent six years on a farmstead south of Danbury farming alongside his father. After the loss of his right thumb in a PTO shaft of a tractor, the family moved to Danbury and he was employed with Hartman telephone company, from there he became an employee for Red Willow County District One as a County Road Maintenance Operator for 32 years.

Over the years he held a seat on various boards including school board member of Beaver Valley High School, The Village of Danbury and was a current member of the Danbury-Marion Cemeterey.

He was president of the Lebanon, Nebraska, Gun Club and an avid Blue Rock shooter, taking pride in helping area youth to shoot. He carried on his passion for outdoors sportsmanship through his children and grandchildren.

Dave was blessed in retirement from the county to spend 10 years enjoying cabin life in Colorado, loving the wildlife and fishing. Returning to Beaver Valley where he continued being up before the sun, his hands continued to know the weight of tools, the feel of dry dirt, the feel of country roads as he maintained roads for Township in Kansas. Proving “Retirement” wasn’t in his vocabulary, he was hired out to a local farmer up until his last fishing trip.

Dave left a blueprint for how to live: you show up when the work is hard, you finish what you start, you take care of the land that feeds you and your word means more than a signed piece of paper.

“The fields will be plowed by someone else now, and the country roads maintained by others, but every time the wind blows across open dirt, we’ll hear his footsteps and know he’s still keeping watch.”

Survivors include siblings, Don Schultz (Barb), Liana Rich (Harry), Bev Probasco (Dennis), Pam Shepard (Fred); children, Gary Schultz (Kellie), Hilary Schultz; grandchildren, Lillie Kendal (Elijah), Abigail Schultz (Justin), Cort Schultz and great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and many friends. As one friend stated, “He was a wonderful man with an infectious laugh and smile, he will be missed.”