Last Night the industry lost a good man....

[stuart]

Last night we lost a comrade in the industry that many of you might know....

Ed Schulefand - DDC - Great Lakes Region passed away

Here is a quote from D1;

"Our friend and colleague Ed Schulefand passed on last night just after 10 P:M EST due to complications causing septic shock in his liver. He passed painlessly and quickly. All immediate family were able to say there Good byes as were his friends. "Edward Schulefand 1964-2006"

He was one of the original industry "good guys" I never heard him badmouth anyone.

If you knew him take a moment to remember some of that good....

Another great one we lost this last year was SD Lieker from a heart attack in Dec. I think that we should acknowledge these guys that have added much to industry on these forums at times like this.

[HotTubMan]

Sorry to hear about ED. If memory serves, he did a stint with Beachcomber. I did meet him briefly but I heard many kind words spoken of him by those who worked with him.

My condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.

[hottub.pool_boy]

sorry to hear about your lost comrad. Reading your post brings to mind that sometimes we don't stop to listen to what the veterans in the industry have to say. There's much to learn from them. Thanks for reminding me to catch up with some of the older gents I've been out of touch with. I said a prayer for him.

[spaman--]

I never knew Ed, but i am greatful to those who have created this industry and paved the way for guys like me who have gained a passion for their knowledge and expertise. I did know SD from my days at Coleman and then L.A Spas, he was a great guy full of knowledge and love for the industry and I can clearly see that the industry misses these icons everyday.

[stuart]

SD was my mentor, friend and the reason I made it the first few years in the spa industry.

He even found a way to laugh at our arguments. He was a very great loss....He was about as renown as anyone in the industry.

This industry has quite an interesting mix of people....We have the "Old School" bunch that help make it what it is today. Then we have the founders that started things and the more aggressive "Newbies" that Don't know any better than to try and reinvent the wheel thereby creating even more growth.

If they all find a way to listen to one another we might make it yet.

[Tubzz]

Industry lurker de-cloaking temporarily to say,

"Many thanks Stuart for your words"

Yes Ed was a great rep, as well as a great dad, husband and friend.

He will be missed by dealers and D1 family alike.

Watch Pool and Spa News for more.

A lesson learned was that though for over a year as he knew he was dying, he kept going. Even when not able to drive, he asked to be driven into territory to see accounts as late as Mid June.

In all this he kept going, never once saying, " Why Me".  He volunteered his time for others entering into their radiation treatment as a councilor and just never gave up. I will never forget watching a better more valiant unselfless champion fighter win, despite losing.


What's interesting when reading posts and common thread themes on this forum is the symetry of need and what we actually lost in this "good man", as Stuart poetical wrote;

Ed was a professional sales consultant with attributes both consumers and dealers on this site seem to quest for in our industry.

If more could only be like Ed, where would we( the spa industry) all be?!