WALKER, Mich. (WOOD) — The Walker community said goodbye Saturday to Fire Chief Russell “Rusty” Shoultz a week after his sudden loss shook the Walker community and the many lives he touched throughout his career of service.
Firefighters, law enforcement officers, friends and family gathered at Remembrance Church to honor the life of Walker Fire Chief Rusty Shoultz, who died suddenly May 1 at the age of 52.
Walker fire chief remembered for service, leadership after sudden death
An American flag hung between fire trucks outside the church as first responders from agencies across the area and beyond arrived for the funeral service. Inside, speakers reflected on Shoultz’s decades-long career in public service and the impact he made during his short time leading the Walker Fire Department.
“In less than one year, Chief Schoultz led transformational progress that will shape our community and our fire department for decades to come,” Walker Mayor Gary Carey Jr. said during the service. “Thank you for leaving this community better than you found it. We will carry your legacy forward.”
Before coming to Michigan, he served in fire departments across Mississippi and Louisiana. According to his obituary, Shoultz began his firefighting career as a teenager in Mississippi and later worked in law enforcement, emergency medicine and the military. He served in the U.S. Air Force and Coast Guard Reserves, including deployments to the Middle East as a flight nurse…