Marie Joan Schuette, 87, longtime resident of Wausau, Wis., and a resident of Spanish Fort since 2003, died Saturday, Oct. 9, 2010 in Spanish Fort.
She was born July 24, 1923 in Wausau, Wis., and was a graduate of Wausau High School. She married Lyle H. Grimm in 1941. They owned and operated Grimm Flying Service Inc. for 30 years at the Wausau Municipal Airport.
An early aviator, she achieved the distinction of becoming the youngest female solo pilot in the nation at the age of 16. She was a recognized expert on general aviation and held significant positions on state and national aviation boards and committees.
She received many honors and awards, most notable inclusion into the Wisconsin Aviation Hall of Fame in 2003. She was the first woman to be elected president of the Wisconsin Aviation Trades Association. She was a charter member of the Wisconsin Chapter of the 99’s, an international organization of licensed women pilots. The Wisconsin Bureau of Aeronautics named her Woman of the Year in 1975.
On Dec. 24, 1977, she married Earl W. Schuette, a prominent Wausau businessman. She was a member of Wesley United Methodist Church.
She was preceded in death by her mother, Margaret Towle; her father, Archie Towle; sister, Nancy Towle; brothers, Larry, Ben and Archie Towle; husbands, Lyle Grimm and Earl Schuette.
Survivors include four children, Charles (Ruth) Grimm of Tulsa, Okla., Patrick Grimm of Wausau, Wis., Georgia Lang of Madison, Wis., and Jeanne (Paul) Robinson of Fairhope; step-children, Sally (Jonathon) Kahn of Terra Haute, Ind., and Perry (Barbara) Schuette of Wausau; two sisters, Marge (Mike) Zoborowski of Schofield Wis., and Lyn (Ken) Kowalski of Mosinee, Wis.; sisters-in-law, Joyce Towle, Mary Towle, Rose Towle and Ruth Schuette, all of Wausau; grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, other relatives and dear friends.
Funeral and burial services will be held Thursday, Oct. 14 in Wausau, Wis.
The family requests memorial donations be made to The Archie Towle Memorial Scholarship, Community Foundation of Central Wisconsin, Suite 2600, 500 lst Street, Wausau, WI 54403 or the Westminster Foundation, 500 Spanish Fort Blvd., Spanish Fort, AL 36532.
Local arrangements are by Hughes Cremation & Funeral Service, Daphne. Online condolences may be made at hughesfuneralservice.com. Arrangements in Wisconsin are by Brainard Funeral Home, Wausau.
