While in college, Joe was treasurer of our fraternity and I was chosen to take up his position.  For me, this meant a crash course in finance, business and money management.  For Joe, this meant a giant effing headache.

We would meet on a very regular basis for hours on end while I struggled to learn these things that were of profoundly large importance.  Implosion of the fraternity’s finances could have easily meant losing the house.  While most including myself didn’t realize this, Joe most certainly did and was forthright in imbedding within me the importance of said responsibilities.

In the beginning, more often than not, the face of Joe that I saw was this… one of frustration and disapproval.

But I came to learn that this was part of who Joe was… but not so much one who was dismissive or kurt.  Rather, one who realized that dedication to any task or cause, even of minor importance, was the proper way to dismantle challanges.  This was largely a foreign ideal to me as growing up I’d never really grasped this concept of dedication.

Eventually, I started to see the err of my ways and really started hearing Joe.  This is turn lead him to further push me in positive directions to be certain that I was on the right path.  Among other things, he imparted upon me that there must be a finite balance between good times and hard work, something that I carry to this day.  I believe he saw some potential in me that had rarely been encouraged and tasked himself with tactfully encouraging me to do better.

As the weeks and months passed, I eventually saw the more emotionally charged and sometimes frustrated-to-the-point-of-tears side of Joe that rarely emerged.  He was often at odds with himself to channel his intelligence and capabilities in a manner in which he thought worthy.  But of course, he was already doing so every day.

Joe and I were not lifelong friends.  I can’t recall the last time we spoke or saw one another.  Like many, we parted ways post graduation to venture out into the real world.  But some time ago, I heard that he had joined the military.  While others were surprised by this, I wasn’t in the slightest.  At the core of Joe Schultz was a steely and fiece inclination to do right by the world.  Even as a younger guy, he was always one who would not only voice an intelligent opinion, but waste no moments in putting that plan into action.  There was a fiberous confidence about him that commanded respect.  I can only imagine the level of admiration held to him by his fellow soldiers and colleagues.

Joe had a boisterous laugh accompanied by a grin that was three miles wide.  This obviously more recent picture captures that perfectly and is a completely fitting example of his more lighthearted nature.  However, Joe wouldn’t give this away easily.  Like everything else it had to be earned.  But it was certainly well worth it.  

At Oregon, Joe had an incredible impact on my character through his mentoring, wisdom and guidance.  Often times over the years, he has come to mind when my perseverance wavers.  I am crushed to hear he’s gone and fight back tears as I try to compose an adequate appreciation of his effect and influence upon not only myself but others.  My thoughts go out to his friends and family who also feel this lost.

Joe, you will not be soon forgotten.

Andrew Pridgen penned an incredibly appropriate tribute here and the corresponding news article is here.