Chaplain (Colonel) John W. Schumacher (U.S. Army, Retired), 1934-2021
Services for Chaplain (Colonel) John W. Schumacher (U.S. Army, retired), who died on February 5, 2021, will be on Monday, March 22, 2021.
Chaplain (Colonel) John W. Schumacher (U.S. Army, retired) went to his heavenly home on February 5, 2021. He was born in Osceola, Ind, on June 21, 1934, to Herman John Schumacher and Julia Beatrice (Needham) Schumacher. He married Martha Ann (Catching) Schumacher on June 8, 1957, in Springfield, Mo. Together they raised four children, Laurie (Lou Huesmann), Julie, John (Christine),and Eric (Janetta) and have eight grandchildren and one great grandson. Those who knew him knew how much he loved his family.
John graduated from Bob Jones University with a degree in education which he used for three years before answering God’s call to full-time Christian service. He attended Grace Theological Seminary in preparation for ministry in the Army chaplaincy. During his 30 years of active military service, he also earned a Master’s degree from Long Island University. He had two combat tours in Vietnam. He is a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and the United States Army War College where he later was assigned as faculty to teach Ethics. He served in several senior chaplain positions but never forgot serving the soldiers in their units. He is the author of A Soldier of God Remembers.
After his retirement from the Army, the Schumachers eventually moved to the Phoenix area where John served as a chaplain for three different law enforcement agencies. He also represented the Charis Fellowship (Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches) for 22 years as the Endorsing Agent with the Department of Defense and for those applying to enter the military chaplaincy.
John had a love for hunting and fishing….especially in his beloved Alaska, where he served for 22 years as part of the volunteer staff and as the chaplain for a fishing camp.
John was preceded in death by his, father, Herman, mother, Beatrice, three brothers, and one sister. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, his four children, grandchildren, great grandson, and a sister, Phyllis Smith, of Winona Lake, Ind.
John will be laid to rest at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona with military honors. There will be a Celebration of Life at Palmcroft Baptist Church, Phoenix, Arizona, when Covid health guidelines allow. That information will be on this website when available.
Donations in John’s memory may be made to Alzheimer’s Association or the Eagle Commission.