One of three sons born to Vearl and Rose Charlotte Saloga Shultz, he was the only one to pursue a career in music. Even though his parents were not musicians and there was seldom music in the home, Leroy from his earliest years was attracted to music and started piano lessons at age seven.
Leroy took music lessons during his elementary and high school years. In 1955, he went to Union College and was inspired to pursue music as a career. He particularly enjoyed his keyboard lessons with UC teachers Neil Tilkens, Betty Christensen, and Eleanor Attarian-Wahlen.
While in College, he married Rose Iris Chaney, a secretarial student at the college, in 1958. They would have two sons, Gregory Lee and David Brent.
Following graduation from UC in 1960 with a B.S. degree in music education and organ as his performance area, Shultz began his career at Mount Pisgah Academy in North Carolina, teaching piano and organ. In 1962, he returned to the Midwest, where he taught for two years at Platte Valley Academy in Nebraska, and then for two more years at Enterprise Academy in Kansas.
Shultz accepted a teaching position in 1967 at Garden State Academy in New Jersey. He was class sponsor for the junior and senior class and at the end of his second year the yearbook was dedicated to him. In addition to teaching keyboard and voice lessons, he also conducted the choral programs at EA and GSA. During these years, he completed over twenty hours of graduate study in music.
In 1969, he enrolled in a piano technician school. At the end of that year the Shultzes moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, where Leroy began tuning pianos, and Rose became secretary to the academic dean. He also conducted a community choir in the church.
Shultz tuned pianos for over forty years in Lincoln. During that time he took advanced training at three more schools, including those at the Baldwin and Yamaha piano companies.
In his work as a piano technician, he had rebuilt and refinished at least seventeen grand pianos. Additionally, he had written a series of three books, Progressive Gospel Piano, on how to play gospel music, each volume including six cassettes. Throughout his career he continued to play piano and organ, serving as a Sabbath School pianist, playing several solos each year at church services, and providing music for weddings and funerals.
Both of the Shultz children have been active as musicians. Gregory, who possesses perfect pitch, began playing piano by ear at age two and developed an unusual gift for keyboard improvisation. David played the piano as a child but became more interested in guitar as a teenager and they performed together in bands and two recordings. Gregory continues today as a piano tuner/technician following in his dad’s footsteps. David graduated with an art degree from the University of Nebraska and worked in the design and advertising field.
Family members include his wife, Rose; sons Gregory Lee (Cindy) Shultz, Berkeley Springs, WV and David Brent (Marcy) Shultz, Westerville, OH; 6 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild.
Preceded in death by his parents and brothers Melvin and Alfred.
Funeral Service: 2:00 p.m. Sunday (9-11-22) College View Seventh-day Adventist Church, 4801 Prescott Ave. Burial in College View Cemetery following service.
Visitation one hour prior to service time.
Memorials to Union College.