Dwayne Schmaltz

Dwayne J. Schmaltz, 94, of Waupun, passed away June 24, 2021 at home with family by his side.

Dwayne was born October 11, 1926 in La Crosse, WI, the son of William E. and Evelyn Ledman Schmaltz, the big brother to five sisters. He attended La Crosse schools and was a graduate of La Crosse Central High School. On October 11th of his senior year he was drafted into the U.S. Army. By Christmas he was on his way to basic training at Camp Joseph T. Robinson near Little Rock, AR. He served two years with the U. S. Army in the Pacific Theater during WWII. Dwayne attended UW La Crosse where he received his Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education. On August 21, 1948 he married Margaret Balmer in West Salem, WI. He started his professional career in Middleton, WI, teaching 7th Grade and later becoming principal of Sauk Trail Elementary School. Dwayne continued his education at UW Madison where he received his Master’s Degree in Administration. A career move took him to Pardeeville, WI where he was District Administrator for Pardeeville area schools from 1965-1969. In 1969 he became CESA 13/6 Administrator, moving to Waupun in 1975, and retiring in 1992. In 2006, Dwayne’s wife Margaret passed away. On November 11, 2007 he married Jane Fay in DeKalb, IL. Dwayne was very active in the Waupun community where he was a current member of Kiwanis, Gideons, American Legion Post #210 of Waupun, and the elder board of Edgewood Community Church. Past community involvement included coordinator of the Salvation Army, member of the Waupun School Board, and a Board of Director for both the Christian Home and Waupun Memorial Hospital. In the various communities in which Dwayne lived, he was always active on various boards of the churches he attended. He was a founding, charter, and active member of Edgewood Community Church in Waupun. In April of 2017, escorted by his veteran grandson Dallas, he had the privilege of attending the Old Glory Honor Flight.

In addition to a busy work life and community involvement, he was a family man, a reader, a thinker, and a doer. He was an avid gardener, a builder, and a traveler. He didn’t care about the destination as much as he did the journey and the people along the way. His home was filled with singing.

Dwayne is survived by his wife, Jane; four children: Jon (Mary) Schmaltz of Waupun, Gretchen (Mark) Pluim of St. Charles, MN, William (Sharon) Schmaltz of McDonough, GA, and Holly (Jerome) Narloch of Oconomowoc, WI; nine grandchildren: Stephanie Latham, Amy (Charles) Wiese, Valerie (Richard) II Brunoni, Dallas (Amy) Werner, David (Karen) Schmaltz, William (Danielle) Schmaltz, Erica, TJ, and Lydia Narloch; twelve great-grandchildren: Creighton, Chase, Cyren and Cecelia Wiese, Lilliana and Richard III Brunoni, June and Jade Werner, Daniel and Aubrey Schmaltz, and Henry and Anna Schmaltz; one half-sister, Jeannine (Gerald) Swan; a special friend and former foreign exchange student, Mary “Kit” Tomkins (Clive) Carpenter; Jane’s family of three sisters and three brothers; and their many nieces and nephews.

Dwayne was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Margaret Schmaltz; a daughter, Teresa Schmaltz; a son-in-law, Douglas Werner; a sister, Lois Ann Wohlhoefer; two half-sisters: Lois Ann Gilmore and Donna Christianson; one step-sister, Rose Marie Frost; and sister-in-law: Joanna Fay.




A memorial service will be held Saturday, July 24, 2021 at 11 a.m. at Edgewood Community Church in Waupun with Roger Knowlton officiating.