Daniel H. Schultz had a gift of being able to find joy in everyday occurrences whether it was mowing the lawn or romping with his dog. “He loved the simple pleasures of life. He loved things like cutting the grass, and a cold beer and a burger on the grill on a hot day,” said his wife, Nancy Niemiec Schultz. Mr. Schultz, 51, of La Grange Park, a financial consultant who worked for Washington Mutual, The Depository Trust Co.and the Chicago Stock Exchange, died of pancreatic cancer Wednesday, Feb. 18, in his home. Born in Chicago as the oldest of five children, he grew up in the west suburb of Berkeley and for the first year of high school attended a seminary in Hillside, his wife said. By his sophomore year, he switched to St. Joseph High School in Westchester and graduated in 1970. He worked as a butcher to pay his way while completing his degree in business administration at the University of Illinois at Chicago. After his graduation in 1975, he went to work in the operations area of the Midwest Stock Exchange, now the Chicago Stock Exchange. He worked there until 1995 when the Clearing and Trust Co. of the exchange was closed after being bought by the Depository Trust Co. The trust company hired him to start and operate their Chicago office. As director of client services, he worked with banks and financial institutions in the Chicago and Minneapolis areas who were members of the trust company, his wife said. Fallout from the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks led to the closing of the field offices of Depository Trust. Mr. Schultz declined an offer to go to the New York office. In March of last year, he accepted a position with Washington Mutual to help open their retail branches in the Chicago area. But three weeks after starting, he became ill, his wife said. The couple, who married in 1977, spent their married life in La Grange and La Grange Park and have been members of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, where Mr. Schultz taught religious education classes for 10 years. For the last 12 years, the couple helped prepare engaged couples for marriage.. “He was devoted to his 21 nieces and nephews. But I think he was most proud of the life he built in terms of our relationship and our circle and family of friends,” his wife said. Other survivors include his mother, Leona; two brothers, David and Steven; two sisters, Nancy Evens and Caro Knoll; and many nieces and nephews. Services have been held.
