Dean Gordon Schumacher, 66, of Sturgeon Bay, died unexpectedly on April 20, 2021, while doing what he loved, planting Christmas trees. He was born July 21, 1954 in Sturgeon Bay to Gordon and June (Vandermeuse) Schumacher. On Sept. 22, 1984, he married Judy Ebel at Corpus Christi Church.
Shortly after graduating from Sevastopol High School in 1972, Dean became co-owner and operator of the Scandia Supper Club in Sturgeon Bay for almost 25 years. In 1996, he went to work for Bay Shipbuilding (now Fincantieri) in the carpenter-sheet metal shop, retiring as a supervisor and dockmaster in December of 2020.
Dean loved The Lord and was a lifetime and very active member of St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church, serving for many years on the church council. He was also a very active member of the Valmy Thresheree and served on the Board of Directors for years. His greatest passion was his Christmas Tree business, The Schumacher Country View Christmas Tree Farm. It was there that he spent countless hours, year-round, trimming, planting and caring for his variety of Christmas trees. It brought him great joy to see the faces of his family, friends and customers as they found the perfect tree to take to their homes and enjoy for the season. He enjoyed meticulously maintaining his garden, lawn and asparagus patch and being outside as much as he could. Most importantly, Dean loved spending time with grandchildren, attending as many of their sports and activities as he could and always being their biggest fan.
Survivors include his wife Judy; 3 children, Chris (Kristin) Schumacher, Appleton; Craig (Mara) Schumacher and Melanie Schumacher (significant other Justin Hilsabeck) all of Sturgeon Bay; 5 grandchildren: Jacob, David, Faith, Tucker and Ryker; 1 sister Lynn Hacker, Sleepy Eye, MN; 1 brother Steve (Georgia) Schumacher, Sturgeon Bay; siblings-in-law: Yvonne (Tom) Sheley, Two Rivers; Greg (Sue) Ebel, Joann (Dan) Cihlar, Sandra Wiesner and Patt Ebel, all of Sturgeon Bay; Chris and Craig’s mother Mary Geitner Carmichael, Brussels; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Gordon Jr., parents-in-law Melvin and Geraldine Ebel, 3 brothers-in-law, Dan Hacker, Ed Ebel and Bill Wiesner; nephew Thomas Hacker.
A public visitation is scheduled at the Forbes Funeral Home on Friday, April 30, 2021, from 3:00 – 7:00 pm. Devotions will be conducted at 7:00 pm that evening by the Rev. Benjamin Enstad. A public funeral will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, May 1, 2021 at St. John Lutheran Church in Valmy. Burial will be in the church cemetery. There also will be visitation at the church on Saturday from 10:00 am until the time of service. Memorials may be directed to Zion Lutheran School or St. John Lutheran Church.
