Harold “Maddog” Schulze

Harold “Maddog” Schulze

Cedar Rapids

Harold “Maddog” Schulze, 88, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, passed into the hands of his Lord and God at the Gardens of Cedar Rapids in the arms of his loving wife, Betty, on Wednesday, February 28, 2024. A visitation will be held from 4 - 7 p.m. on Monday, March 4, 2024, at Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Cedar Rapids. Funeral Mass will take place at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, with a visitation one hour prior at St. Ludmila Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids, with a luncheon to immediately follow at the church. Burial will take place at a later date. A livestream of the Funeral Mass can be accessed at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/@st.ludmilacatholicchurch3280/streams

Harold was born in Iowa City to Harold J. Schulze and Irma (Messner) Schulze on January 7, 1936. He was a student at St. Wenceslaus Catholic grade and high school. After graduation in June of 1955, he immediately joined the United States Navy. Harold spent three months in New London, Connecticut, training as an Engineer on submarines. Upon graduating, he spent the remaining four years on the USS Bluegill in the waters of the NW Pacific, the Philippines, and Alaska; one time they were under for six months.

Harold returned to Cedar Rapids in 1959 and was employed at Collins Radio until he joined the Cedar Rapids Fire Department in 1963; where he retired from in 1988 after 25 years. During these years he was also employed at Mercy Hospital as an EMT. He was later employed for ten years as Linn County Safety Inspector. On November 30, 1963, Harold married Betty Schwers at St. Boniface Catholic Church in New Vienna, Iowa – they became the happy parents of three wonderful children: Lisa (Jim) Vecerka, Steve (Yelba) Schulze, and June (Rolf) Erickson, with two awesome grandchildren arriving later: Sten Erickson and Evin Erickson. The couple enjoyed traveling through the USA with their kids. After the children were grown, Hal and Betty continued to travel in the USA and abroad. Some of Harold's fondest memories were made while fishing in Canada with his son, Steve "Nipper" Schulze. Harold was a frequent blood donor and donated four gallons.

Survivors include his wife, Betty Schulze; children, Lisa (Jim) Vecerka, Steve (Yelba) Schulze, and June (Rolf) Erickson; two grandchildren, Sten Erickson and Evin Erickson; siblings, Joan Ross and Carol Vance; and in-laws, Germaine Theisen, Eileen Hellmann, Caroline Nachtman, Elmer Schwers, Chuck (Donna) Schwers, Marie Schwers, Jim Schwers, and Barbara Schwers.

He was preceded in death by his father, Harold J. Schulze; his mother and her second husband, Irma and Joseph Hadrava; brothers-in-law, Clark Ross, Lyle Vance, Merlin Theisen, Elmer Greiner, Ambrose Hellmann, John Nachtman, Lawrence Schwers, and Merlin Schwers; and sisters-in-law, Lillian Greiner and Colleen Schwers.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family for a fund to be established in Harold’s honor.

Please share a memory of Harold at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.