Thomas Schuler was born in Beloit on April 3, 1907. He attended Hononegah High School in Rockton and was quarterback of the team coached by Dr. James Ellis, was an excellent golfer and maintained a great interest in sports and recreation over the years. He was married to Dorothy Carlson in Waukegan on September 25, 1934.

Tom worked at Fairbanks Morse for 32 years and managed the old Morse Hills Country Club. He was executive vice president of the Greater Beloit Association of Commerce for six years and resigned to work in the marketing department of Beloit State Bank.

He was a Beloit civic leader, active in over 40 commun-ity organizations. He was an organizer of the Little League and served the Recreation Department, the Boy Scout Board, Boys’ club, United Givers Fund, Ledges Country Club, Wisconsin State Chamber of Commerce and was president of the Beloit Boys’ Baseball Program, Beloit Small Business Association, various fund drives and social agencies. Tom as exalted ruler of the Elks Lodge, president of the Greater Beloit Industrial Development Corpor-ation and assisted in the development of new Highway 15 to Milwaukee. He was a charter member of the Ambassadors’ Club, president of the Blackhawk Personnel Club, the Star Zenith Boat Club and the Old Timers’ Baseball Association.

Tom Schuler was among active committee workers in bringing Hormel and Frito-Lay to Beloit. He was treasurer of the Beloit Music Festival and worked with the Beloit College Affiliate Artists program and was active in Senior Citizen programs and projects. Much can be written about Tom Schuler and the work he did sparkplugging numerous agencies and organizations, campaigns and drives.

But little known was the way he worked quietly inside and behind the scenes for minorities….getting them jobs, better housing and government benefits when they were unable to work or take care of themselves. Schuler was among the early patients to undergo open heart surgery and led a busy robust life following his operation. His boundless energies filtered through the cultural, economic, sports, civic, business, spiritual and recreational life of the community. He was a willing civic servant, always ready to tackle a volunteer assignment and his enthusiasm was contagious. Tom Schuler died on November 11, 1975, while lunching at Beloit Country Club, of which he was a longtime member.