John William Schumacher

John was peacefully and joyfully welcomed by our Lord and Savior on October 7, 2025. He was born on July 13, 1939, in Woodburn, IN to the late John & Alyff Schumacher. He is preceded in death by his in-laws, Paul and Marie Koester, and his son, Robert William Schumacher. He is survived by his loving wife of 66 years, Phyllis Mae Schumacher, his children, Annette Kay Griessman (Detlef) and Karen Lynn Peel (Chris), and his grandchildren, Alex Ross Griessman (Nessa), Kayla Nicole Hunt (William), Meghan Nicole Levy (Ryan), and Michael Christopher Peel.

In early life, John grew up on a farm as the oldest of 7 siblings, six boys and one girl. He loved to relive stories of the antics experienced during his youth.
John met the love of his life, Phyllis, at Woodburn High School. They were married on August 29, 1959, in St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Ft. Wayne, IN. They briefly moved to New Haven, IN, before heading to Purdue University where John completed his degree in Electrical Engineering in 1961. The couple then moved to Princeton, NJ, where John was pursuing a Master's Degree in Engineering from Princeton University while working for RCA. Plans changed and he took a job with Delco Radio in Kokomo, IN in 1962. He held many different roles including service, radio manufacturing and testing, and management. The company evolved through the years and eventually became part of General Motors. He retired from GM after 34 years (1996). They lived in Kokomo for 59 years where they were members of the Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer.

In retirement, John followed his dreams to explore, a wanderlust that he inherited from his mother. He and Phyllis purchased a motorcoach and traveled all across the country, even road tripping to Alaska. They organized and hosted several RV rallies in Indiana. Later, they traded the RV for a second home in Mesa, AZ where they spent two winters enjoying the warmer weather and family in the area. In 2021, they moved from Kokomo to Georgia to be closer to their daughter, Karen.

John was a life-long learner and loved to share his knowledge and skills. He always had a passion for engineering and would sit for hours tinkering until he had a solution to every problem. He also loved passing these skills on to his children and grandchildren, teaching them basic engineering skills and problem solving through fun projects they would complete together. He was very active in a computer club, setting up computer labs and organizing courses. His love for the technical and his love for family melded with the many family reunions that he organized. He always brought the amps and microphones, organized the family tree documentation, and sent out contact information for everyone in the immediate and extended family.
John was a loyal fan of Purdue University, always tuning in to games and cheering for his team from the sidelines whenever he could. He loved people and always enjoyed entertaining in his home and traveling to visit friends and family. He also loved watching movies and regularly shared his recommendations.

A Celebration of Life will begin 11 am Saturday December 13, 2025, at Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer, 705 E. Southway Blvd., Kokomo, IN 46902, officiated by Pastor John Dreyer. There will be a fellowship gathering following the service to celebrate his legacy. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer, or to the Robert William Schumacher Memorial Scholarship Fund at Purdue University. The endowment name is Robert William Schumacher Memorial Scholarship Endowment (003986), Purdue Foundation, Dauch Alumni Center, 403 West Wood Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907.
https://giving.purdue.edu/west-lafayette/college-of-agriculture-folder/robert-william-schumacher-memorial-scholarship-endowment/?appealcode=22256. Arrangements have been entrusted to Shirley & Stout Funeral Home & Crematory.

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