Harry Otto Schulze

Harry Otto Schulze passed away quietly at his home on November 22nd, 2024, at the age of 100. Harry was born on a farm in New Era, Terry Township, on February 21st, 1924, and was the only son of Charles and Susan Miller Schulze. The Wyalusing doctor arrived for the delivery at the Schulze farm in a horse driven sleigh during a snowstorm. 

Harry attended the one room school in New Era until starting at Wyalusing High School in 9th grade, often riding in the back of an open milk truck to get to school. On the first day of school, he met and fell in love with Jane Rathbun. Harry and Jane graduated with the Wyalusing class of 1941. Harry was a fine baseball player and participated in musical events as much as farm life would allow. Harry enrolled in the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and two years later was drafted and served during World War II in the U.S. Navy as a pharmacist’s mate on a seagoing tug. After the war ended, Harry returned to Penn and earned his degree in chemistry, graduating in 1948. His first job was with Atlantic Richfield in Philadelphia. He and Jane married in 1949 in her parents’ house in Towanda, PA, and they lived in Philadelphia for four years before purchasing a farm in Browntown, near Wyalusing, where they lived for the next 66 years. Harry was employed for 35 years with GTE Sylvania (now GTP) in Towanda, where he had a successful career as a research and development chemist. He sang in the Sylvania Men’s Chorus, and Jane was the piano accompanist for the group. In 2019, Harry and Jane moved to a house in Wysox, where Harry devoted his attention to caring for Jane. 

Harry hiked, sang, mowed, worked on his tractor, ice skated, loved nature and the night sky, and had an impressive organic garden for over 60 years, all the while battling the woodchucks for supremacy. We will all miss this quiet, steady husband, dad, grandfather, and friend. We were fortunate to have him for so long. 

Harry is survived by his children, Laurie Schulze of Austin, TX, Rosemary Schulze of Arlington, MA, and Jon Schulze of Towanda, PA; his grandchildren Lindsay Schulze of Towanda, PA, and Elesha Schulze with her fiancé Cory McCarthey of Bellingham, WA; as well as sister-in-law Marcia Rathbun of Atlanta, GA; 4 nieces, Julie (Ernie) Vilar of FL, Jan (Greg) Clement, Utah, Susan (Richard) Kern, SC, Beth (William) Miner, Meshoppen, PA; a nephew, Jay (Rochelle) Rathbun, TN; and a former daughter in law Beth Schulze, Sayre, PA. 

Harry’s beloved wife, Jane Rathbun Schulze, passed away just 8 days after his death. In addition to his parents, Harry was predeceased by his father and mother-in-law, Bruce and Florence Mann Rathbun of Towanda, PA; his brothers-in-law Bruce Rathbun, Jr. (Ann) and Edward Alan Rathbun, and his son-in-law, Robert Fredieu of Arlington, MA, as well as many cousins and friends. 

The family is extremely grateful for the help and compassion of the Guthrie Hospice team for their help in Harry’s last few days. 

There will be no services at this time, but there will be a celebration of the lives of Harry and Jane for family and friends at some point in the future, at the convenience of the family with burial in the Wyalusing Cemetery.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Homer Funeral Home, 83 Grovedale Lane, Wyalusing, PA.

To send condolences or sign the e-guestbook, please go to www.homerfuneralhome.com.