1937
- 2010MISHAWAKA - Thelma Jean Shultz was born in Savannah, Tennessee, on May 16, 1937, to Arthur and Edna Austin. She passed away peacefully at the Health Care and Rehab Center in Savannah, TN. She was preceded in death by her late husband, Robert Shultz; her father, Arthur Austin; stepmother, Sally Austin; her stepfather, Joseph Spite; and brother and sister-in-law, Roger and Linda Austin. Left behind to cherish her memory are her daughter, Jizelle Holz from Adamsville, TN; granddaughter, McKenzie Scott from Philadelphia; her mom, Edna Spite from Mishawaka, IN; brothers, Stephen, Jonathan of Rochester, NY, Timothy Spite of Mishawaka, IN, and Paul Spite from Cookville, TN, Donald, David and Ricky Austin of Savannah, TN; sisters, Wilma Lee Hosey, Ann Austin and Nell Jones of Savannah, TN, Glory Whitehouse and Mary Paustian of Mishawaka, IN, Willow Streett and Tabitha Brown of South Bend, IN. "Jean," as she preferred to be called, later moved to Mishawaka, IN, where she met her husband Robert Shultz. She spent several months in Europe where her husband Robert, who was a Professor of Architecture at Notre Dame, took his students. She especially loved Austria. Later in life she was able to fulfill her lifelong dream of working on a river boat, which she did for several years until she retired. She later moved back to Tennessee to be near her daughter, Jizelle. Jean made life fun for everyone around her. She had a way of telling a story that could keep you on the edge of your seat, just waiting to hear more. She was so good to her Mom, and such a good one herself. She always loved her family so much and would do anything for them. Many times she would take Jizille and all her younger siblings to Lake Michigan. It was one of her favorite places in the world. She would take pleasure in pointing out all the beauty that was around us that you would normally take for granted, and if she received even the smallest most inexpensive gift her face would just light up with joy and you would feel like you had given her the moon. She had a way of making everyone feel so special. She lived life to the fullest. She recently said that she has had such a wonderful life and had very few regrets. In the words of one of her favorite songs: "She did it her way." We will always love and miss her. Jean donated her body to a medical school. She will have a memorial at a later date.