The Lord called Martin J. Schuetze home on June 23, 2026.

Martin was born on April 24, 1929, in the parsonage of St. John's Lutheran Church in Sheridan Township, Redwood County, Minnesota, to Reverend Gerhard and Frieda (Polchow) Schuetze. He was the oldest of five children and was taught during his early years by his mother, a former Lutheran school teacher. After graduating high school from Dr. Martin Luther High School in New Ulm, Minnesota, he worked as an iceman before joining the United States Navy in 1948. During his nine years of service as a medic, he traveled throughout the world. During the Korean War, he served aboard the USS Yorktown II in East Asia and the Western Pacific before receiving an honorable discharge in 1957.

Martin was first married to Clairreed "Reed" Jeffcoat in 1955. Their daughter, Nadine, was born in 1958. Following their divorce, Martin married Janet Jordy in 1962. Together they raised their son, Bryan, and daughter, Heidi, and built a life centered on faith, family, and service.

Following his military service, he earned a degree in accounting from Armstrong College in Berkeley, California and began a career with the Internal Revenue Service. While working full-time, Martin attended San Francisco Law School at night, and Janet faithfully transcribed all of his dictated law school notes. Martin and Janet later moved their family to Park Ridge, Illinois, where Martin served as Chief of Appeals for the IRS in Chicago until his retirement in 1986.

Martin's strong faith guided him throughout his life. He was actively involved in the church in a variety of ways, including singing in the choir, serving as an elder, and reading Scripture during worship services. His faith was evident not only in his service to the church, but also in the way he cared for and encouraged those around him.

Martin was an avid bicyclist for most of his life. In his younger years, he rode from San Francisco to Yosemite with friends carrying little more than a pack of beer and salt tablets. Over the years, his cycling adventures took him across Washington, Arizona, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and around Lake Michigan. He was also an enthusiastic fisherman who enjoyed Minnesota lakes, the waters of San Francisco Bay, and the ocean in Sitka, Alaska. Even into his nineties, Martin faithfully worked out at the gym five days a week and even took tai chi classes.

Martin was always eager to learn something new. Following the passage of the Home Consumption Act in 1979, which exempted homemade beer from federal taxation, Martin took it as a sign that he should begin brewing beer and making wine for family and friends. Long before such practices became fashionable, he purchased an entire pig and found a use for every part of it, even rendering the fat to make soap. He also enjoyed a variety of foods, including New Orleans and Cajun cuisine, Bavarian meatballs, Fleischküklein, seafood of every variety, and occasionally, a bowl of traditional pho from a favorite local Vietnamese restaurant.

Martin and Janet shared a love of travel and spent many years exploring the world together. Highlights included New Zealand, Australia, the Middle East, and many parts of Europe. They especially enjoyed annual visits to Cajun country and spent a month each year along the Oregon coast. After retirement, they built their dream home in Eagan, Minnesota, where they welcomed family and friends and created many cherished memories. Although Martin retired at a relatively young age, he remained active and engaged for the next four decades, spending nearly half of his life in retirement (but never resting!).

One of Martin's greatest acts of love was the devoted care he provided for Janet during the final years of her life. He faithfully cared for her until the Lord called her home in 2022. Their marriage was a testament to commitment, partnership, and enduring love.

Martin is predeceased by his parents, Gerhard and Frieda Schuetze; brothers, James and Stephen Schuetze; sister, Norma (Jim) Hall; brother-in-law, Jim Jacobsen; and his beloved wife of 60 years, Janet Schuetze.

He is survived by his children, Nadine (Roy) Alvarado, Bryan (Anna Kunz) Schuetze, and Heidi (John) Walewander; seven grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; sister, Lenore Jacobsen; sisters-in-law, Carla Evans and Roberta Pollack (James Sadd); and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be from 8:15-9:15 a.m. Tuesday, June 30, at Emanual Lutheran Church in Inver Grove Heights with the funeral service following at 9:15 a.m. Pastor Tom Evans will officiate. Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, June 30, at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis.

Martin's funeral service will be on: https://youtube.com/live/1Oow1Rae_C0?feature=share