The unfortunate events of the chain and big box  stores unfulfilling their commitments depleted most of the remaining assets of Polk Nursery Company as well as his life insurance policies.

He lived a long life touching many people with kindness and generosity.

I know he never expected the end to be the way it turned out, but kept pressing on every day and never giving up until his last breath.

People that know him well, most will tell you he was more of a pessimist than an optimist.

But, I must say when chips are down, he was the biggest optimist that I have known.

I remember my uncle telling me one day, "There are two kinds of people, Steve, there are "Givers'" and there are "Takers." I hope you decide to be the one like your dad did."

I turned to him and said, "It's A Family Tradition"

From the Lakeland Ledger October 29, 2013

Kenneth Schulz died at age 83 in hospice on Sunday morning in Auburndale from complications resulting from a stroke.

WINTER HAVEN | One of Winter Haven's longest-serving mayors has died.

Kenneth Schulz died at age 83 in hospice on Sunday morning in Auburndale from complications resulting from a stroke.

The two-term commissioner served five years as mayor in the 1970s, a term eclipsed only by two others from the early 1900s.

He was a Banker's Cup winner — often considered the highest honor in the city — but couldn't be bothered to tell anyone about his successes without it being pulled out of him, friends said. His business was the largest of its type in the southeastern United States. He wouldn't want to tell you about that, either.

"Oftentimes, you wouldn't get the information from him," said longtime friend Mike Nolan Sr. "It will come from some other source."

Schulz was a Winter Haven native who followed in his father's footsteps.

Schulz, like his father, was a horticulturalist and during the 1980s had the largest ornamental potted plant nursery in the Southeast.

He was elected to the Winter Haven City Commission in 1968 and served until 1975, the last five years as mayor.

He once helped pass a city ordinance requiring dogs to be leashed but was the subject of a minor controversy, as his daughter put it, when the family dog kept getting picked up by animal control because of it.

"We always got grief on that," daughter Linda Schulz Cargo said with a laugh.

The family lived on Little Lake Otis, where, during his time as mayor, his four children were trained to answer calls from residents during dinner.

"We couldn't go through a dinner, having an evening meal, without the phone ringing," Cargo said.

"He just thought nothing of it to say, 'No, you can take the call.'"

The home often was called Fort Schulz because of the large flagpole that always flew an American flag.

Extremely patriotic, Schulz was a first lieutenant in the Army.

He is a former Winter Haven Rotary Club president and was a catalyst in the merger of the two United Ways in Polk County.

Besides his daughter, he is survived by his wife, Wanda Schulz; sons, Dennis Schulz and Steven Schulz; sister, Drew Salter; and a granddaughter and a great-granddaughter.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 52 years, Barbara Schulz, and daughter Diane Schulz Reichert.

Arrangements are still being made with Kersey Funeral Home in Auburndale.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Kenneth Nash Schulz Lifetime Timeline

Giver to his Family, Community and Company

Kenneth Nash Schulz born Winter Haven, Florida 1929

1st Lt. United States Army, Artillery 1952-1954

President, Winter Haven Jaycees 1956-1957

President, Winter Haven Rotary Club 1967-1968

Commissioner, City of Winter Haven, FL 1968-1970

Mayor, City of Winter Haven, Fl 1970-1975

Bankers Cup, Man of Year, Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce 1973

Trustee, Beymer United Methodist Church 1972-1975

Director, Exchange National Bank of North Winter Haven 1972-1976

Advisory Board, Southeast Bank of Winter Haven 1976-1977

Governor, Florida American Nursery Association 1976-1977

Director, Exchange National Bank of Polk County 1976-1982

Director, Heart of Florida Girl Scouts 1977-1980

President, Polk County Association of Chamber of Commerce 1977-1978

Campaign Chairman of Lake Region United Way 1977

President, Lake Region United Way 1978-1979

Advisor, Gulf Ridge Council Boy Scouts 1973-1982

Advisory Board, NCNB of Winter Haven 1988-1983

Advisory Board, First Florida Bank of Winter Haven 1988-1990

Advisory Board, First Florida Bank of Polk County 1990-1994

Advisory Board, Florida, Liberty Mutual Insurance 1988-2000

Owner, Operator, Polk Nursery Company, Inc. 1956-2011