Obituary: Dean Gordon Schumacher

July 21, 1954 – April 20, 2021

Dean Gordon Schumacher, 66, of Sturgeon Bay, died unexpectedly while doing what he loved: planting Christmas trees. He was born 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; three children, Chris (Kristin) Schumacher, Appleton, Craig (Mara) Schumacher and Melanie Schumacher (significant other Justin Hilsabeck), all of Sturgeon Bay; five grandchildren, Jacob, David, Faith, Tucker and Ryker; one sister, Lynn Hacker, Sleepy Eye, Minnesota; one 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; three brothers-in-law, Dan Hacker, Ed Ebel and Bill Wiesner; and nephew Thomas Hacker.

A public visitation is scheduled at the Forbes Funeral Home in Sturgeon Bay on Friday, April 30, 3-7 pm. Devotions will be conducted at Forbes at 7 pm that evening by the Rev. Benjamin Enstad. A public funeral will be held Saturday, May 1, 11 am, at St. John Lutheran Church in Valmy. A visitation will precede, 10-11 am, at the church. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Memorials can be directed to Zion Lutheran School or St. John Lutheran Church.

A tribute page is available at forbesfuneralhome.com.