Marsha Schulze

Marsha Kay Schulze, age 60 passed away September 17th 2011 at Northwest Ohio Hospice following eleven years of managing her cancer. Marsha was born in 1951 in Mobile, Alabama. She was the second child and only daughter of Warren and Elizabeth McMillan Ferguson. She grew up a daddys girl. Later in life she was her mothers friend and confidant. Marshas family moved to Warner Robins, Georgia at the start of her sophomore year in high school. Marsha graduated with a BA in Education and a Masters degree in Special Education, from Georgia Southern University. Her first teaching job was in Claxton, Georgia. Marsha later taught in Aiken SC and again in Sylvania School District. She worked at Cummings-Zucker Center now part of Harbor for 9 years. Marsha grew up on the Gulf coast with warm water and sand. In 1991 she fell in love with the rocky coast and cold water of Maine. For 20 years her favorite Maine spot became the gathering place for her family and brothers family. Popovers at Jordan Pond, Lobsters at Beals, Cadillac Mountain, picking sea glass, a good book on the porch looking over Bass Harbor. Marsha saw her children and her nieces and nephews grow to adulthood and begin another generation with this tradition. This year was no exception as 20 people gathered for Marshas final visit to Maine. Marsha had three passions in life: keeping family and friends close, helping any baby or struggling living thing and teaching especially special education. She was exceptionally good at all three. She made time for friends and visited family in Miss and Ga. She always tried to see the positive while giving generously of her smile. Marsha loved babies and was quick to hold them and interact with them. She loved child development. Her passion for helping extended to animals and included reviving a couple hamsters CPR, removing a berry stuck in wild birds throat and rescuing a chicken who had escaped a truck going to the slaughter house. Teaching was a calling and personally rewarding. She had the patience and the skill to help special education students to learn and to instill pride. At Cummings-Zucker among other things she combined teaching and child development by teach parents with babies, who were at risk, parenting skills. Marshas father and mother preceded her. Marsha is survived by her husband Stephen and daughters Lauren, Stacy and Natalie. She is survived by her brother Larry, sister in law Linda, nephews David Kristie, Mathew Rebecca, niece Sarah Levi, brother in law Rodrick and mother in law Juanita. Surviving is her love for seven very special grand nieces and nephews who called her Ma-Marsh. She is survived by 3 rescue dogs and 3 rescue cats. Thanks to all of Marshas friends who visited her in the hospital and home. A special thanks to family friend Lana. Hopefully the better times of walking the dogs and chit chatting will fill Lanas memories of Marsha. Also a special thanks to a medical crew who helped Marsha live 10 years with and sometimes without ovarian cancer: Dr. Stephen Andrews and the infusion and pick line nurses at UTMC. She loved going in and visiting with staff and other patients while incidentally taking some chemo. Special thanks to Dr. Bosio, who 18 mos ago rushed to her hospital bed and whisked her to the surgical ICU when other doctors were failing. Then the exceptional trauma surgeon Dr. Olorunto who undertook an operation that lasted 14 hours. He persevered when others suggested stop. Special thanks to the surgical ICU staff and nurses. These ordinary gifts of doing their jobs became extraordinary allowing many visits with friends, relatives, and that last trip to Maine. There will be a service to celebrate Marsha Kay Schulzes life on October 3rd at the Walker Funeral Home, 5155 W. Sylvania Ave., Toledo, Ohio. Please visit with family and friends at 3:00 and join the remembrance service at 4:00. In the remembrance service we will offer a time to share Marsha stories or just a memory. If you fear tears, write it, bring it to the service or leave a message comment at @walkerfuneralhomes.com and we will read it. A social hour will follow the service. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to Natures Nursery, PO Box 2395, Whitehouse, Ohio 43571 or ASPCA or American Diabetes Association, PO Box 11454, Alexandria, VA 22312.