Capt. Arthur Victor Schultz, decorated U.S. Navy officer and father of Father Stephen J. Schultz, died Sept. 8 at age 80, surrounded by family.
He is survived by his wife, Marianne Schultz; daughter, Anne Schultz; and sons David Schultz, John Schultz, and Father Schultz, as well as grandchildren Andrew Schultz, Mark Schultz, Mary Anastasya Schultz, and Danielle Schultz.
He was born in 1945 to Arthur V. Schultz and Rose M. (Sepe) Schultz in Attleboro, Mass., and was raised in East Providence, R.I. He attended Rhode Island College in Providence, where he met his future wife, Marianne. As an athlete, he briefly held the Rhode Island discus record. He graduated in1966, the same year he and Marianne began a marriage that spanned more than 55 years.
He served in the U.S. Naval Reserve for 33 years. For outstanding achievements in the Navy, he was awarded the Legion of Merit with three gold stars, the Meritorious Service Medal and the Navy Commendation Medal.
With a solid New England work ethic, he was a man who liked to get things done. Returning home after long deployments, he’d get family hugs, then mow the lawn. He loved his children and did what any great dad would do — get them to soccer games, music lessons and Sunday Mass. He loved to learn and earned a master’s degree in history from Rhode Island College and master’s degrees in business administration and IT management from the University of Maryland Global Campus.
His proudest moment was the ordination of his son Stephen to the priesthood June 13, 2009. He cried tears of joy on the steps of the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington, where he stood for photos with Marianne, Bishop Paul S. Loverde and the newly ordained Father Schultz.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at All Saints Catholic Church in Manassas Sept. 18 at 10:30 a.m.
