Jon Charles Schulke, age 80, of Fremont, passed peacefully on Thursday, March 31, 2016 in Fremont, Ne.


Jon was born April 12, 1935 to Philip and Mary Eleanor Schulke in a sod house near Alliance, Ne.Shortly thereafter Philip and Eleanor moved to Craig, Ne where Jon was raised.Jon graduated from Craig High School in 1952, matriculating to Dana College in Blair, Ne where he played center on the Vikings football team and earned a teaching degree in 1955.After graduating from Dana, Jon went on to teach and coach football and track at Burwell, Ne, Ponca, Ne, Allen, Ne and South Sioux City, Ne.Jon was married to Rosie Hayes of Lyons, Ne in June of 1955 and together they taught, coached, and influenced innumerable students, many of whom became lifelong friends and an extension of the family.


Beginning at a young age, and until his passing, Jon's passion was the outdoors.While attending Dana, Jon would venture to Northwestern Ontario, Canada for the summers to fish and explore with his best friend, Gunnar Nyholm.His passion for the north led to landing a fishing guide job for the summer on Linklater Lake near Vermillion Bay, Ontario.From that beginning Jon would spend the next decade of summers working, guiding, and exploring across Northwestern Ontario, Northern Manitoba, Hudson Bay, James Bay, the Northwest Territories, and the Arctic Ocean.Jon's crowning achievement was constructing and managing Arctic Star Lodge on Great Slave Lake in the Northwest Territories in 1965.Jon staked out the location for Arctic Star the winter before construction, traveling by dog sled from Yellowknife, NWT to McCloud Bay in the far eastern end of Great Slave.Known as the "Waldorf of the Wilderness", Arctic Star hosted numerous dignitaries from across the world.


While Jon's stories of adventure were numerous his fondest memories were the summers spent working with Rose in Canada in the early 60's. Jon and Rose worked several summers for the legendary bush pilot Archie Webb at Wilderness Enterprises in Vermillion Bay, Ontario.In addition, both Jon and Rose helped build, and worked at, Archie's camp on Canyon Lake. Among other told, and untold, ventures together, Archie and Jon built the first fly-in outpost camp in Ontario and they were both featured in several outdoor publications throughout their time together.Today Jon's children own part of the camp Jon and Rose helped build on Canyon Lake.Since 1978 the Schulke family and their friends have been fortunate enough to experience first hand a slice of the spirit of exploration that drove Jon throughout his life.Memories and stories of Jon will undoubtedly live on through all those who have spent time at "The Cabin".


While Jon's summers in the late 50's, 60's, and early 70's were spent across the far reaches of Canada his fall and winter seasons were spent guiding hunters on the Missouri River near Ponca, Ne."Sports" from all over the country would come to "The Big Hill" to hunt the river with Jon.This oftentimes interfered with his real job of teaching and coaching but he tended to make his own rules. Thereafter, in 1974, Jon and Rose moved to Fremont, Nebraska where Rose continued to teach and coach at nearby Cedar Bluffs and Jon sold equipment for Bowman Hydrovat and later founded Mid-America Steel, specializing in potato storage structures. Throughout the 70's, 80's, and 90's Jon sold, and constructed, potato storage facilities throughout the western United States.During this time, however, he still found time to make it to Canada every summer to spend time with his family and their friends.


From the late 90's and until his passing Jon found his way back to Canyon Lake for the majority of his later life eventually extending the spring and summer fishing seasons with his family to the fall and winter seasons hunting, ice fishing, and trapping with his friends at the lake. Until the end Jon continued to build "additions" to the camp he and Rose helped build nearly 60 years ago.


Jon was preceded in death by his father and mother, Philip and Eleanor Schulke and his wife Rosie Schulke.


Jon is survived by his daughter Joni Hegy and her husband Paul of Waterloo, Ne; sons Jan Schulke and his wife Jean of Fremont, Ne; Saylor Schulke of Fremont, Ne; Starr Schulke and his wife Shelia of Lincoln, Ne; grandchildren Josh Hegy and his wife Amanda and their children Drake and Gage of Fremont, Ne; Korby Wacker and her husband Curtis and their children Anna Rose and Nora of Fremont, Ne; Chantrey, Gunnar, and Lake Schulke of Lincoln, Ne; andJax and Hunter Schulke of Fremont, Ne.


A Celebration of Life will be held on April, 16th from 11:00 to 2:00 at the Pines Country Club 7516 N 268th St, Valley, Ne.A gathering thereafter will be held at the "Shack" on the Elkhorn River.Directions:From HYW 30 (west of the Elkhorn River bridge at Arlington) go south on Rd 28 to Military Ave, go east on Military and look for the direction signs.


In lieu of flowers please send memorials to the Nebraska Game and Parks Foundation - Lifetime Youth Hunting and Fishing Permit Program, Attention: Rodger Kuhn, 2200 N. 33rd Street, Lincoln, Ne 68503.Please make checks payable to the Nebraska Game and Parks Foundation, please note on the check, "Jon Schulke Memorial".A drop box at the Celebration of Life will also be provided.




A Celebration of Life will be held on April, 16th from 11:00 to 2:00 at the Pines Country Club 7516 N 268th St, Valley, Ne. A gathering thereafter will be held at the "Shack" on the Elkhorn River. Directions: From HYW 30 (west of the Elkhorn River bridge at Arlington) go south on Rd 28 to Military Ave, go east on Military and look for the direction signs.


In lieu of flowers please send memorials to the Nebraska Game and Parks Foundation - Lifetime Youth Hunting and Fishing Permit Program, Attention: Rodger Kuhn, 2200 N. 33rd Street, Lincoln, Ne 68503. Please make checks payable to the Nebraska Game and Parks Foundation, please note on the check, "Jon Schulke Memorial". A drop box at the Celebration of Life will also be provided.