A community pillar of Southwest Michigan has passed.
If not for the vision, drive, and contributions of former bank executive, community visionary, and philanthropist Richard Schanze, the Southwest Michigan region, and specifically the St. Joseph and Benton Harbor communities would look a lot different today.
Schanze passed away on Sunday. He was 84.
When people think of the Berrien Community Foundation, Cornerstone Alliance, the Benton Harbor Arts District, and the St. Joseph Downtown Development Authority, they often see those organizations as the roots of the twin communities. If they are the roots, Schanze was the soil from which they grew.
Richard’s son, Jeff Schanze, remembers his father as “a very, very empathetic person.”
“Being philanthropic and giving away his time and his money were a driving factor in his life.”
Schanze graduated from the University of Iowa in 1962 and spent his first two years after graduation as a federal bank examiner. He then moved to his first banking job at the former Hackley Union National Bank in Muskegon. In 1975, Richard was hired by John Stubblefield as executive vice president of Peoples State Bank, beginning his long banking career in St. Joseph.
“At the start of his career, my father was instrumental in providing loans and services to a lot of foundational businesses in the St. Joe and Benton Harbor area. Back then you couldn’t get a commercial loan or a home loan without jumping through a ton of hoops. Because the bank was a state bank and not under national bank regulations, the bank had a lot more freedom to do what they wanted to do.”
According to his family, Richard married his wife Marilyn in 1980 and the pair significantly contributed to the St. Joseph and Benton Harbor communities, being fundamental in the success of Cornerstone Alliance, St. Joseph Today, and Berrien Community Foundation, and then raising the cultural barometer of the area through a series of investments in the arts.
Jeff recalled his father’s interest in the arts was due in large part to his stepmother’s influence.
“Marilyn was very involved in the arts. That was her drive and her passion all through life. And she got involved in the Krasl Art Center and then she got involved with bringing Richard Hunt’s sculptural concepts to Southwest Michigan through the Community Renewal Through the Arts initiative.”
Through his career and time in Southwest Michigan, Schanze would eventually become president and CEO of Peoples State Bank of St. Joseph, senior vice president and secretary of the board of directors of the Hackley Union National Bank, and an influential and guiding member of numerous community and civic organizations.
After his retirement in 1998, Richard and Marilyn relocated to the island of Curacao where they carried on their commitment to philanthropy. Richard served on the board of the Downtown Management Organization, helped with beautification projects and assisted local entrepreneurs. Richard and Marilyn connected to the arts in Curacao as they did in the states, hosting multiple exhibitions to showcase the talents of Caribbean artists.
Asked about what drove his father to involve himself in so many community and philanthropic areas of Southwest Michigan, Jeff said it was innate to his character and how he was raised.
“He was raised by old German Lutheran — raised extremely poor. My grandmother used to make dandelion soup, that’s not an exaggeration. They went through the Great Depression, and they lived in about 13 different places from the time he was born until he was 10. He worked his way through college and paid for it and raised money to pay for his siblings to go to college. (He) was just empathetic and driven to share his success. He thought that was an obligation.”
Filled with emotion still fresh from the loss of a larger-than-life patriarch, Jeff said obligation and responsibility were important to his father.
“I’ve read through his journals before he died and after he died. Generosity and philanthropy and being kind to people and giving people a chance were just part of his ethos. And he lived it.”
Portions of this article include elements of the family’s announcement of Richard’s death. The full obituary is below.
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Richard Lee Schanze was born May 23, 1940, in Sterling, IL. He was baptized July 13, 1940. He was confirmed April 11, 1954, into the Missouri Synod Lutheran Church. He passed away peacefully on Sunday July 14, 2024, with his loving wife and children at his side.
He graduated in 1958 from DeWitt High School in DeWitt, IA, and in 1962 from the University of Iowa. (Go Hawks!) He spent his first two years after graduation as a federal bank examiner. He then moved to his first banking job as an executive at the former Hackley Union National Bank in Muskegon, MI. Richard was hired in 1975 by John Stubblefield as executive vice president of People’s State Bank, beginning his long banking career in St. Joseph, MI. He touched countless lives through his kindness, generosity and entrepreneurial spirit. Many community members have said Richard provided their first home mortgage or first business loan giving them the foundation needed to prosper.
Richard married his wife Marilyn (Norris) Schanze on Jan. 5, 1980. Richard and Marilyn significantly contributed to the St. Joseph and Benton Harbor communities, being fundamental in the success of organizations like Cornerstone Alliance, St. Joseph Today, and Berrien Community Foundation. With Marilyn’s championing of the arts, they were influential in bringing Richard Hunt’s sculptural concepts to our area through the Community Renewal Through the Arts initiative.
After his retirement in 1998, he and Marilyn relocated to the island of Curacao where they carried on their commitment to philanthropy. Richard served on the board of the Downtown Management Organization, helping to beautify the Punda area and assisting local entrepreneurs. Richard and Marilyn connected to the arts in Curacao as they did in the states, hosting multiple exhibitions in their historic landhuis as well as worldwide to showcase the talents of Caribbean artists.
Richard was a family man who enjoyed numerous fishing trips with his brother David, sons and nephews and hiking with his daughter Jennifer. He and Marilyn shared their good fortune and unconditional love with their own children and grandchildren, as well as nieces, nephews, adopted children and families throughout their lives. Together they created amazing memories through travel, education and events that left lasting impressions carried forever in our hearts.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Freddie and Ethel Schanze; brother Joel Schanze; nephew Mark Schanze; and grandchildren Anthony and Grace Nicholas. Surviving are his wife Marilyn; children, Jeff (Sandra) Schanze, Jennifer (James) Nicholas, and Scott (Colleen) Allers; grandchildren, Jacy (Jeremy) Crable, Jimmy Nicholas, and Elijah Nicholas; great-granddaughter Joey Crable; brother-in-law Raja Choucair; and his dear nieces Nadia Choucair (partner Tyler Spratt), Maya (Keaton) Hong, and Leila (Vincent Patton) Choucair.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Sunday, July 28, 2024, at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Bettendorf, IA. The family will greet relatives and friends at a luncheon following in the church fellowship hall.
The funeral will be at Starks & Menchinger Chapel, 2650 Niles Road, St. Joseph, MI, on Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, with visitation at 9:30 a.m. and service at 11:00 a.m.
Memorials may be made to Our Savior Lutheran Church, 3775 Middle Road, Bettendorf, IA 52722, or online at the funeral home’s website.
