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Wausau, Wis. (September 17, 2007) – Marvin C. Schuette passed away peacefully at his home on Friday morning, September 14, 2007, with his wife Ruth by his side.
Marv was born October 27, 1931, on a dairy farm in Marathon, Wisconsin, joining older siblings Earl, Clifford and Myra (Tootie). After the sudden death of their father, August, in a cheese factory accident, their mother, Elizabeth, was left with the daunting task of being a single parent during the Great Depression. Fortunately for her, Earl and Cliff had ideas of their own. Their milk routes were done by noon, so the boys hauled lumber and pulp for paper companies. They convinced their mother to invest her insurance funds, under tough terms, to start a saw mill. A lumber yard soon followed and it was time for Marv to be the first in his family to earn a college degree. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a BA in Economics, Marv joined his brothers and brother-in-law Jack Peterson in the expanding family business. Ideas and opportunities were flowing freely in those heady days.
Marv’s best decision happened in 1957 when he married Wausau High English teacher, Ruth (Rudie) Janick from Crivitz, Wisconsin. They had three children Tom, Sara and Jay. Rudie was raising kids while Marv was raising sales for a fledging Wausau Homes.
By 1972, Wausau Homes was producing 2,000 homes a year with a 2,000 home backlog and the original plant on Cherry Street in Wausau was “maxed out.” In 1975 a new state-of-the-art 330,000-square-foot factory opened on 80 acres in Rothschild. The plant was designed to produce 4,000 homes a year. In 1978, Marv bought out his brother’s interest just in time for the worst housing recession in history. With high inflation and higher interest rates, Marv and Ruth had everything on the line.
By true grit, they persevered through the Carter Administration. With the election of Ronald Reagan, a new sense of hope was within sight. With hard work and by seizing opportunities, Marv acquired Sterling Building Systems and began WH Transportation. He kept the bankers from First Wisconsin at bay, assuring them no one but he could pull Wausau Homes from the brink. During these tough days, Marv never wavered in confidence that Wausau Homes would return into a profitable company. Lessons were learned, absolutely, but, Marv remained confident and resourceful. Many people helped at this time, not the least of whom were loyal builders who were equally suffering from the recession.
When the economy turned around, Wausau Homes was restructured and poised for a comeback. And it was roaring! Despite sizable debt, Marv invested in computer technology integrating architectural engineering, pricing, manufacturing and field assembly. Today, Wausau Homes and its affiliates have eight plants in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Ohio (two) Virginia, Georgia, and Tennessee servicing a network of 700 builders. Marv was thrilled to see original builders pass their own businesses to second generations. He encouraged and assisted employees to enter business for themselves.
Demonstrating the lessons learned, Marv freely shared them with family and employees alike. Marv was adamant about simplifying business, reducing and, if possible, eliminating bureaucracy and levels of management, to push down responsibilities, encouraging people to be self-directed and motivating themselves and others to add value and not cost. He would also offer non-solicited personal advice with the knack of offending and inspiring all in the same conversation!
Marv lived to see the fruits of his labors. His son Tom married Connie Riiser; they have a daughter, Lauren, and live in Wausau. Daughter Sara married Steve Friedle; they have three children, Ellen, Hannah and Nate, and reside in Wheaton, Illinois. Jay married Gretchen Glader; they live in Sugar Grove, Illinois, with their children Ann, Sam and Joe. Marv had the same zeal in teaching life lessons to his grandchildren as to his managers.
Marv received many accolades over the years and proudly displayed them when it highlighted his companies. However, Marv was modest about bringing any attention to himself and would make personal contributions under the auspices of “the employees of Wausau Homes.” When one is as closely associated with a business as Marv was, the distinction was blurred. He gave unselfishly and wanted contributions to be a catalyst for something more. Here are recognitions of his efforts and contributions:
- President National Association of Building Manufacturers
- Automated Builder James R. Price trophy
- Achievement in Housing Award 1990
- Wisconsin Builders Association Builder of the Year 1997
- Wisconsin Builders Association Hall of Fame
- Wausau Homes Scout Center
- Girl Scouts of America Thanks Badge
- Lion’s Camp for the Blind
- Salvation Army
- Special Olympics
- Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin
- Hot Air Balloons at St. Clare’s Medical Center
- Stanton W. Mead Wildlife Education and Wildlife Center
- Humane Society, Marathon County
- Habitat for Humanity
- Area Public High Schools
- Rothschild Pavilion
- Junior Achievement Award for Outstanding Support of Youth, 2004
- Junior Achievement Gold Leadership Award, 2007
- “Soar with the Eagles” oil painting presented by Wausau Homes builders celebrating 30 years of leadership
- “Eagles Dare to Win” bronze presented by Wausau Homes employees recognizing 40 years of business
In the last year as Marv’s health was declining, he was dismayed but not surprised to see the present housing recession. Predictably, Marv was working everyday, doing all that was possible to weather yet another storm and come out on top, poised for another opportunity. By sheer will and determination, he lived longer than expected. He may have surprised his doctors, but those who know him best learned you never underestimate Marv Schuette. He celebrated his seventy-fifth birthday last October among family and friends. Marv worked the day before he died, fulfilling his children’s prophecy that their father would die in the saddle with his boots on.
Marv Schuette was grateful for the opportunities of living in a free country with a free enterprise system. He never felt special and believed any ‘ol farm boy could have his successes if they just tried and persevered. We, his family, respectfully disagree. Marv Schuette was one in a million. He was loving, challenging, pushy, inquisitive, passionate and caring in his own way. He was a complicated man. He was a good man. We love him deeply and rejoice in his new life.
In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations to the Marvin C. Schuette Scholarship Memorial Fund. Please make checks payable to the fund name and send to:
The Community Foundation of North Central WI
500 Third Street, Suite 310, Wausau, WI, 54403
You are invited to read and contribute memories about Marv online at www.WausauHomes.com. Click on the Marv Memorial link at the top of the website.
Owned and operated by the Schuette family since being founded in 1960, Wausau Homes Incorporated is America’s #1 producer of custom-built homes, and works exclusively with independent builders in local markets. Builders have the flexibility to choose from the Wausau brand’s varied portfolio of house plans, or to have custom plans engineered to their specifications through Sterling Building Systems, a division of Wausau Homes. Based in Wausau, Wisconsin, Wausau Homes/Sterling Builders employs more than 500 people and services over 600 builders from eight facilities located in Georgia, Ohio (2), Virginia, Illinois, Iowa, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.
Please call Wausau Homes at: 800.
735. 1812 |
