Delbert J. Schulting, 76, of Menominee, IL.

“I can’t go anywhere yet – they’ll never make it”, Delbert would joke about his adult children during his 4-year fight with cancer. On January 9, 2020, Delbert finally decided that his family was capable of handling life on their own and his battle with cancer ended peacefully at his home with family members at his side.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:00 a.m. Thursday, January 16, 2020 at Nativity BVM Church at Menominee, IL, with Fr. Peter Snieg officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Visitation will be from 3:00 – 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday and from 9:15 – 10:15 a.m. on Thursday at the Miller Funeral Home in East Dubuque, where the Parish and Holy Name Society Rosary will be recited at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Delbert began his life journey on April 5, 1943, son of his beloved parents Oswald “Peck” and Anne (Kass) Schulting.  He lived his entire life on his treasured family farm. Somehow he survived the early years of his life on the farm, despite the shenanigans between him and his brothers Gene and Jim and his best friend Dick Phillips.  He went to a one-room elementary school house – walking uphill both ways, occasionally through 12 feet of snow.  Later in high school, he met the love of his life, Elaine Pfohl, and married her on June 22, 1963. They were blessed with four children within 4 ½ years. Then six years later, just when they thought they were done with diapers and cribs…oops, number five was born.

Delbert spent his free time coaching his kids’ baseball and softball teams when they were young and never missed a high school football, basketball, baseball, or softball game. As his kids married and began their own families, you would see Delbert and Elaine at their grandkids’ youth and high school sporting events.

Delbert loved his family deeply. He hosted many family gatherings and fish frys and on one occasion “hosted” the fire department after grilling. He loved fishing, hunting, a good game of Euchre, Hilby’s Euchre Team, the Chicago Cubs, Chicago Bears, East Dubuque Warriors, John Deere tractors and equipment, and arguing with his “outlawed” in-law children about who was the favorite. His welcoming smile is forever etched into our hearts.

Delbert worked at John Deere Dubuque Works for 35 years. He was on the Menominee Township & Multi-Township Boards for 37 years, a member of the Menominee Fire Department, Knights of Columbus, and a retired UAW Member.

Delbert is preceded in death by his parents, his sister Joyce Ann; in-laws Leon & June Pfohl, brother-in-law Leonard Pfohl, and his hunting dogs Brandy 1, 2, 3, and Rambo.  Those left to cherish his memory and carry on his legacy are his wife of 56 years Elaine; five children – Paula Keck of Dubuque, IA; Randy (Kathy) of Oregon, WI; John (Lori) of Verona, WI; Donna (Sean) Quinn and Terry (Becky) all of East Dubuque, IL; 11 grandchildren that he cherished; Brandon, Andrew, Ethan, Ryne, Cody, Alyssa, Erin, Joey, Kyle, Alec, and Zachary; his brothers Gene (Lily) of Walnut Creek, CA, Jim (Rosie) of Black Earth, WI and his “we aren’t brothers” cousin Cy Schulting, along with numerous in-laws, cousins, nieces, and nephews; special friends Jerry Rojemann,  Dick Kaiser and Dan Ricke and all who were fortunate to meet him and become lifelong friends.

The family would like to extend our heartfelt thank you to all of his friends who made routine stops to spend time with Dad, particulary Delbert Belken who had an express pass through the front door of Delbert’s house, Diane who delivered him cookies, to our neighbors who pitched in to help ease the stress over the last few years, Dr. Dillon and the University of Iowa Oncology team, Dr. Schope, Dr. Hermann, and Dr. Tony of Dubuque Internal Medicine, all of his amazing nurses, especially Lori Hilby, and Hospice of Dubuque for their loving care.

In one last act of parental defiance, his children have plastered his photos all over social media.  He will live forever in our hearts and now cyberspace.

“When you die, that does not mean you lose to cancer.  You beat cancer by how you live, why you live and in the manner in which you live.” {Stuart Scott, ESPY’s 2014}

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.millerfhed.com