The Winnebago Community Honors Greg Schultz: Leader, Mentor, Friend

The Winnebago Community Honors Greg Schultz: Leader, Mentor, Friend
Nearly 100 Travato owners and loved ones gathered to share cherished memories.

By: Noel Fleming & Chris Miller

People deal with loss in many different ways. We … go to a baseball game. Yep, we sit in the stadium, cheer on the home team and remember. We remember our friend Greg Schultz. His recent passing in April stunned our Winnebago Community. The man was larger than life and full of stories about countless topics. He was a quick-witted intellect who, in addition to RVing, loved motorcycles, BBQ, music, and the St. Louis Cardinals. 

When our current RV passed by St. Louis on an evening of a Cardinals home game, we jumped at the chance to feel a bit of connection to Greg. A man of action who often had a mischievous twinkle in his eye. We thought he would approve of our plan ...

At the ticket window we stated our request: “Two tickets, please.” Learning that this was our inaugural trip to the park, the attendant shared her 40-year history of selling tickets for the Cardinals, and with bold confidence told us precisely which seats would be the best for us. We shared with her a bit about Greg and our reason for attending. 

That evening at the ballpark was special. No, the Cardinals, currently fighting through a difficult season, did not pull out a miraculous win. But then, neither did we. Our season of loss was far greater than theirs – our loss, much more profound. 

As the innings progressed, the sun set and the sky darkened. The city’s skyline with the Gateway Arch lit up the sky behind the outfield. There was light even in the dark. There always is.

At one point, Joe Torrey, who had come to the game, was shown across the large screen. Fans applauded and yelled. Loud accolades of praise moved in waves across the stadium. We thought of Greg and how many fans of his would love to sing his praises one more time. We began musing about what position Greg would have played had the Winnebago Travato Community fielded a team.

What Greg Schultz Meant to the Winnebago Travato Community

It didn’t take us long to conclude that Greg would, without question, have been capable of playing an all-star role in every position on our community’s team. He was, after all, our MVP.

• Pitcher: Greg consistently pitched ideas for mods and resolutions to fellow team members. He provided ideas for revisions and upgrades to the Winnebago product planning team.
• Catcher: Greg caught everything that was thrown his way! He offered thorough suggestions and experiential knowledge when asked about any system in the van.

• Batter: Batters need the ability to swing and hit all kinds of balls. Greg handled every scenario—be it a curveball, a slider, or a split—with poise and skill. He brought many other runners safely home. Because of him, we scored big time joy on our journeys.
• Infielder: Greg maintained close relations with both owners and Winnebago employees. He knew where everybody was on the field and made the wisest of strategic moves. 
• Outfielder: Outfielders need to cover a lot of ground. Greg certainly did that as he fielded questions from owners of every year and model.

• Mascot: No team is complete without a mascot – a character who energizes the crowd, grows enthusiasm, and has his own quirky ways. A mascot embodies the joy of the sport, uses humor to relate to the crowd, and is loved by all.
• Coach: Somehow, Greg understood the myriad of players on our team. He advocated for everyone, whether they be veterans or rookies, family travelers or solo travelers, full-time RVers or occasional weekend warriors. With patience and consistency, he urged all of us to get out there, play each inning with gusto, and continue to polish our skills. His devotion to us as individuals and as a community developed our team chemistry and created lifelong bonds.

Winnebago drafted Greg and his wife Donna years ago upon seeing their product knowledge and people skills. Recruited as ambassadors, the dynamic duo helped improve the Winnebago Travato product and grew the fan base season after season. They may have worn the Flying W merchandise well, but in the end, every wannabe and owner knew that they really belonged to all of us. (Read this article we wrote about them a few years ago to learn more.)

Gathering to Share Cherished Memories of Greg

In August of this year, 93 attendees in 57 vans gathered for a rally in Forest City, IA, hosted by the Winnie Bs to remember Greg. Winnebago provided the use of the rally grounds as a perfect venue for sharing memories. When his wife Donna and family members joined the assembled friends, the camaraderie was nearly palpable. 

Attendees recounted meeting Greg and Donna at rallies across the country—from Arkansas, Virginia, Louisiana, Iowa, New York, Ohio, and Wyoming. People spoke with fondness about the times they were lucky enough to camp next to them. Some laughed when sharing about serendipitous meetups with Greg in Walmart or Cracker Barrel parking lots. 

Others told tales of conversations they had with the Schultz’s at RV shows in Hershey and Tampa. The dialogues informed purchasing decisions and introduced them to the community. Everyone remembered specific times in their journeys when Greg helped them troubleshoot, when he provided sage advice, or when he inspired them with a particular mod. 

We laughed together recounting how Greg would frequently enter people’s rigs, lie down on the floor, get beneath the sink, and do whatever possible to diagnose or solve a problem. He even brought supplies and tools to do a mod for you. Greg patiently taught again and again common processes like dewinterization. And always, always the support was coupled with a bit of snarkiness, light-hearted humor, and a caring heart.

A few of the owners who came to the rally to honor Greg had never even met him in person. They felt like they knew him from his online presence and his willingness to connect via personal text exchanges. Some of them travelled 1,200 miles for the chance to share stories, gratitude, and laughter.

At the end of the rally, we drove off knowing that we all agreed—Greg was our very best year and model. He made the GoLife Community an invaluable accessory for every Winnebago Travato owner.