Obituary of Elaine Kathryn Schulz

Elaine Kathryn Schulz passed away Friday, March 3, 2023 at the age of 76. She was born in Saginaw, Michigan to the late Henry and Mildred (Schemm) Zeitler.

Elaine published a picture book series titled A Gregory Green Adventure, which began with Pea Soup Disaster, a story inspired by her son, Danny. The series included Pea Soup Disaster, Doctor Mom, Halloween Ride, The Missing Alphabet, and Sleigh Ride. Her first picture book publication was Slow Poke, a story featuring photos of her grandchildren, Mello and Carmello, and their turtles. She also published a middle grade chapter book series titled A Bad Fairy Adventure, which included Bad Fairy and Bad Fairy Strikes Again. She authored her creations under the pseudonym Elaine Kaye.

On May 4, 2023, barring any delays, her published and unpublished books, flash fiction, and poetry will be flying to the moon aboard the Vulcan rocket a part of Astrobotic’s Peregrine Lander to be a part of a lunar time capsule known as Writers on the Moon, the first intergalactic library. Her art will be among the contributions of 124 other authors, including her daughter Chrys Fey. The Peregrine Lander will make its permanent home at the Oceanus Procellarum near the Gruithuisen Domes. 

In her spare time, Elaine had fun coming up with new adventures for her characters, Gregory and Sammy, to go on. She enjoyed cross-stitching bookmarks, knitting baby blankets and scarves for local homeless people, crocheting doilies, and making quilts and other handmade crafts for her loved ones.

She was also an avid reader and especially liked the Mitford series by Jan Karon, Amish books by Beverly Lewis, the Calder books by Janet Dailey, and the North America’s Forgotten Past series by W. Michael Gear and Kathleen O'Neal Gear.

When Elaine lived in Hawaii, she worked as a host at Canlis, a popular restaurant in Waikiki. She loved to tell the story about the time Betty White and her husband, Allen Ludden, came to Canlis. Another fond memory she had was when she saw Elvis perform for his Aloha from Hawaii concert that was broadcasted via satellite. In Hawaii she also worked at First Hawaiian Bank.

In the Sunshine state, she was a library assistant at Jupiter Elementary and had the pleasure of reading her own stories to classes, even classes with her kids in attendance. At Christa McAuliffe Elementary, she was a teacher’s assistant for fifth graders.

Later, she worked at Hallmark where the Keepsake ornaments display was her pride and joy. In Rockledge, she worked at The Quilt Place where she worked on quilting panel kits and taught classes. 

Elaine is survived by her children, Mark Schulz, Jamie Schulz, Daniel Schulz, Becky Williams, and Christine Schulz; grandchildren, Mello Williams, Carmello Williams, Connor Schulz, Darcy Schulz, and Lo’Mello Williams; son-in-law Martinello Williams; daughter-in-law Kelley Schulz; brother Robert Zeitler; sister Peggy Zeitler; her four rescued cats, Clover, Cole, Milo, and Otis; and Sammy the Teddy Bear, the real-life version of her character.

Elaine’s ashes will be spread in the ocean in Key West with the ashes of her beloved cat Lucky. 

To honor her memory, wear purple and anything with butterflies or ladybugs on it.

Contributions may be made in her name to the Lung Cancer Research Foundation (https://www.lungcancerresearchfoundation.org).

You can also have a tree planted in her honor through The Trees Remember (https://thetreesremember.com/).

To close, her family would like to share a poem written by Elaine that was her favorite.

 

A Grain of Sand

A grain of sand is washed away

waves rolling in and out in symmetric rhythm.

A mighty ocean, deep blue, dark and wide

covering the Earth, blending into the sky.

The sun sets as a new moon peeks through

making black that sky of blue.

Stars fill the heavens

like fireflies, some fall and disappear

while others get bigger and brighter.

Planets trailing powerful sun;

a tiny dot in a galaxy of our own.

One galaxy, then another, maybe millions;

in a universe that is never-ending

in our bright blue sky.

We see, as we raise our eye

knowing but wondering—just what is out there.

Some things we can’t understand,

as we wiggle our toes,

catching a grain of sand.

Elaine Schulz (Elaine Kaye)