Virgil Nickolas Schutz, 93, Luverne, formerly of Adrian, died Sunday, March 21, 2021, at his home.
A funeral Mass was Wednesday, March 24, at St. Adrian Catholic Church in Adrian. Burial, with full military honors provided by the Adrian American Legion, was in the St. Adrian Cemetery.
Virgil Schutz was born on Oct. 26, 1927, to John and Ann (Finke) Schutz in Adrian. He spent most of his life in Adrian, graduating from Saint Adrian Catholic School in 1945. He was an active member of St. Adrian Parish. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy after graduation from high school and served aboard the destroyer R P Leary during World War II. After serving in the Navy, he attended college at Worthington Community College.
In February 1951 Virgil was drafted into the U.S. Army and served for two years. In June of 1952 he requested a leave and came home to marry Mary Ann Schraad. They lived in Enterprise, Alabama, until his discharge in 1953. Returning home to Adrian, Virgil worked for his father at Schutz Hardware. He purchased the store in 1959 and continued his career there until 1992.
Virgil was a lifelong member of the Saint Joseph Society and Knights of Columbus. He was also an active member of the American Legion. He was an original member of the Nobles County Park Board and served on the Adrian Fire Department from 1948 until his retirement. Virgil was also a member of the Adrian State Bank Board of Directors.
He loved to hunt, fish, travel and execute elaborate pranks. He has visited all fifty states in the United States as well as New Zealand and many trips to Europe. His grandchildren and great-grandchildren were a great joy to him in his later years. Virgil and Mary moved to Luverne in 2006 and became members of Saint Catherine Church.
Virgil is survived by his wife, Mary; children Cheryl (Mike) Cox of Luverne, Judy (Mark) Barlow of Rochester, and Tom (Karla) Schutz of Prior Lake; 10 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and special daughter Anja and her family in Germany; brother Jack (Liliane) Schutz of Edina; and sister Beverly Knips of Bloomington.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a daughter, Kathleen; a son, Mark; and a grandson, Brian Cox.
Memorials are preferred to the Preservation of St. Adrian Catholic Church Fund, 512 Maine Ave., Adrian, MN 56110.
Arrangements were provided by Dingmann Funeral Home in Luverne, dingmannandsons.com.
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