January 9, 1937 - August 23, 2026
In accordance with his wishes, Rod was laid to rest on Friday, August 28, 2026, at the Leavenworth National Cemetery, in Leavenworth, Kansas. Befitting a proud U.S. Army Veteran and career officer, the private family committal service included full military honors. In lieu of a formal obituary, please take a moment to read the following tribute penned by his son, David.
Rudane “Rod” Shultz, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, friend, surgeon, teacher, Army veteran and world traveler, passed away surrounded by a family whose lives - and adventures - were profoundly shaped by his own.
Rod grew up in the small town of Clymer, Pennsylvania, the son of Roceil and Shelton Shultz. He played high school basketball, worked at the local movie theater and even spent time working at a funeral home, helping with embalmings - a job that would provide material for more than a few memorable dinner-table stories over the years.
Rod attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania and the University of Pittsburgh where he participated in ROTC before serving in the U.S. Army following graduation. He later attended Pitt Dental School, where he met Laura, whom he would marry and with whom he had two sons,
David and Doug. Rod completed his Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery residency at Georgetown University, marking the beginning of a military career that would span more than two decades and take his family across the country and around the world. He ultimately achieved the rank of Colonel before retiring from the U.S. Army.
Following his military retirement, Rod and his family settled in the Kansas City area, where he began another chapter of his career. He eventually joined the faculty and served as Chairman of the Oral Surgery Department at the UMKC School of Dentistry, sharing his knowledge and experience with generations of dentists, oral surgeons and dental hygienists before retiring for a second time.
Rod was a teacher by profession and a lifelong student by nature. His curiosity extended far beyond medicine and dentistry. He was a pilot, scuba diver and enthusiastic traveler who was always ready for the next experience.
As his sons grew into adulthood, Rod found the second love of his life, Patti. They married and spent the next few decades building a life together filled with family, friendship and travel. From Africa to Alaska and Europe to Asia, Rod and Patti explored the world while also dedicating themselves to educating the next generation of healthcare professionals. Along the way, they built an extraordinary circle of friends, colleagues and former students. He was the “best of friends” - always reaching out to keep in touch by phone, email and even text.
Of all his roles, however, few brought Rod more joy than being grandpa to Eliza and Evan. No
Easter basket was too big, and no Christmas stocking could be too full. Rod also believed strongly in the importance of dessert - particularly ice cream. His philosophy was simple and frequently repeated: “There’s always room for ice cream; it just slides right down.” It is a piece of grandfatherly wisdom his family expects will be quoted for generations.
His family extended well beyond the traditional branches of a family tree. Over the years, it grew into something more like a wonderfully sprawling bush, encompassing parents and siblings, nieces and in-laws, co-grandparents, bonus parents, children and grandchildren, along with an extraordinary collection of friends, colleagues and students whose lives he touched.
Rod was preceded in death by his parents, Roceil and Shelton Shultz, and his sister, Nancy. He is survived by his beloved wife of 33 years, Patti Shultz of Lenexa, Kansas; his sons, David Shultz of Leawood, Kansas, and Doug Shultz of New York City; his brother, Allan Shields of Lancaster, Pennsylvania; his grandchildren, Eliza Shultz of Arlington, Virginia, and Evan Shultz of Overland Park, Kansas; as well as a beloved extended circle of family and friends.
His was a life defined by service, curiosity, adventure, generosity and family - and one that leaves an extraordinary legacy in the many people fortunate enough to have shared it with him.
