ROGER JOSEPH SCHULTE, II
May 1944 - July 19, 2022
Roger Joseph Schulte, II, 78, passed away in Upland, surrounded by family, following a courageous battle with ALS.
Roger was born in Oakland, CA, to Roger and Irene Schulte, the first of four children. He grew up in Danville, CA, and attended St. Joseph’s Seminary in Santa Clara County. After leaving the Seminary, Roger attended Diablo Valley Junior College, before transferring to UC Davis, where he graduated in 1966. He then earned a master’s degree from Stanford Graduate School of Education.
Roger worked for the Neighborhood Youth Corps and then taught middle school English and drama at Joaquin Moraga Intermediate School in Moraga, CA. After seven years in the classroom, he was selected as the school’s vice-principal. Two years later, he moved with his young family to Upland, where he served as Principal of Valencia Elementary School.
In 1981, Roger transferred to Pioneer Junior High School, and relished his return to middle school education. In his 20 years as principal at Pioneer, he hired and developed an outstanding team of teachers and staff, encouraged a student-centered teaching/learning environment, and positively impacted the lives of thousands of students. In 1996, he was honored as the Middle School Principal of the Year by the Association of California School Administrators. Roger then joined the Upland Unified administration as Director of Technology, Assessment and Student Information Systems. He retired after 40 years in public education in 2006.
Since 1978, Roger had been active in the Upland Rotary Club and its mission to create lasting change. Roger created and helped build multiple Rotary youth leadership programs, developed Rotary leaders, and tirelessly supported the Rotaplast cleft lip and cleft palate program to provide reconstructive surgery and treatment to children worldwide. Roger served as Club President in 1984–1985 and as District 5300 District Governor in 2010–2011.
Contributing to our thriving community, Roger helped build the Upland YMCA and was an enthusiastic backpacking parent with Boy Scout Troop 623. We are inspired by Roger’s passion for life and laughter through travel, theater, seafood, and photography. We remember Roger hiking most of the local summits, backpacking in the Sierra Nevada, bicycling with friends, and visiting 35 countries in his last 15 years. Perhaps most important, we tenderly remember Roger’s love for his family and those in need.
Roger was preceded in death by his brother Peter. He is survived by his wife Paulette Gregg Schulte; his first wife Kitty Schulte and their children, Megan Schulte-Rickard and her husband Malcolm Rickard, and Derek Schulte and his wife Allison Barnes; siblings Willard Schulte and Cindy Lamas; and granddaughter Eliza Rickard.
A memorial Mass and a Celebration of Life reception will take place on Monday, August 29, 2022, beginning at 9:30 AM at Holy Name of Mary Catholic Church, 724 East Bonita Ave, San Dimas, CA, 91773. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to The Rotary Foundation in memory of Roger Schulte.