Arthur R Schubert

Arthur 'Art' R. Schubert, 85, of Traverse City passed away peacefully Sunday, November 12, 2017 at Cherry Hill Haven Senior Living.

Art was born June 12, 1932 to Arthur and Ruth (Featherly) Schubert in Petoskey, MI. As a young boy Art lived in the Upper Peninsula, before moving with his mother and sisters to East Lansing following the death of his father in 1940. There, his mother met and married Harold Hunsberger. His stepfather's service in the FBI during WWII required the family to make several relocations to Miami, Brooklyn and Long Island, NY and the Detroit area before settling in Traverse City in 1946. He graduated from Traverse City Senior High School in 1950. During high school Art built and flew model airplanes, took up water and snow skiing, drove and rebuilt a Model T Ford and joined the Sea Scouts.

After graduating from Michigan State University, Art married Suzanne 'Sue' Cowell on August 7, 1954 in Traverse City, beginning a lifetime of romance and adventure. In September of that year he was stationed in Germany at Nuremburg (Furth) with the United States Army, with Sue joining him some months later. He rose to the rank of 1st Lieutenant, before returning in 1956 to Traverse City and civilian life. There, Art became a high school history teacher, and spent the next thirty years in the Traverse City Public Schools, as a teacher and administrator, including as principal of Traverse City Senior High School from 1966-78. Art finished his career in 1986 as principal of Bertha Vos elementary school. Early in his career, he coached the high school ski team, and was involved with Hickory Hills ski area.

Art and his family traveled far and wide throughout his adult life, including a year-long stint in New Zealand as an exchange teacher, multiple van trips throughout the U.S to national parks and western ski areas, as well as two lengthy drives to Alaska. After earning his pilot's license in 1977, he made cross country flights by private plane to various U.S. destinations as a charter member of the "Acme Squadron", a group of 18 private airplanes flying out of the grass airstrip in Acme, MI.

Art loved deer hunting, and made several hunting trips to Wyoming and the Upper Peninsula with his best friend Walt. He was a gifted wood turner and a talented craftsman, building among other things, the family boat, the "Kiwi" (1965), and a homebuilt Kitfox aircraft (1990).

Art found his greatest joy with his children and grandchildren, attending most school events, sporting contests, and performing arts productions, making long distance visits, and taking great pride in their personal and professional lives. Most of all he enjoyed family gatherings, especially on holidays and birthdays, at his home, at the cabin on the Pine River and at Cathead Beach.

He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Suzanne (Cowell) Schubert; sons, Art (Linda) Schubert and Mike (Debbie) Schubert, daughters Penny (Jim) Sweeney and Kathy (Mickey) Kibler; sisters Sue (Hank) Johnson, Karen (Ted) Foley, Mary (Dan) Link and Helen (Tom) Johnson; and 10 grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Visitation with the family will be held on Friday, November 24, 2017 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home, and memorial service will be held on Saturday, November 25, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. at the Central United Methodist Church in Traverse City.

Those wishing an expression of sympathy are encouraged to direct contributions to Disabled Americans Veterans and/or Hickory Hills Ski Area.