Columbus mourns beloved teacher, famous potato cook

Generational teacher, restaurant volunteer and mother Dulcie Schulte died Thursday, June 19, sparking a wave of hundreds of condolences.

Dulcie Schulte, 75, spent almost 30 years teaching typing to high school students in Columbus Independent School District until her retirement in the early 2000s. Those walking by her classroom would hear Schulte call out “A, A, A, space” as her students practiced typing. In the later years of being a teacher, Schulte taught the children of her first students. Schulte’s daughter, Kim Schulte Langford, said her mother described the experience as surreal. Since her death, Schulte Langford said she’s received numerous messages from former students.

“I’m learning more that [teaching] meant a whole lot to her. I’ve had so many people send me Facebook messages or texts or come up to me at visitation and tell me that she was that one teacher that pushed them, helped them graduate, was the reason they graduated, or she was their favorite teacher,” Schulte Langford said.

Born on Jan. 17, 1950, Schulte grew up in Hallettsville and met her husband of 54 years, Randy Schulte, in high school. The pair were elected Romeo and Juliet of the school in their senior year and attended Southwest Texas State University, now just Texas State University, together. Dulcie Schulte graduated in 1972 with a business degree and teaching certificate. The pair married in 1970 and took their first jobs as teachers at Columbus ISD. Schulte Langford, who had her mother as a teacher for two years, said she was a great teacher who cared about all of her students.

“You were my favorite teacher, and I still have the name plate you gave me at graduation,” Sara Everett posted on Schulte’s obituary site. “I’ll miss your beautiful door wreaths and your great hugs when I would see you.”

Schulte Langford said that Schulte loved and was very talented at arts and crafts. If any of her former students or family members had children, she would create and gift them a handmade beaded stocking for the baby. Schulte also donated her time to volunteering in the kitchens of restaurants started by her son Blake Schulte.

“She always for the last 10 years has made our potatoes that we sell with our Steak Night every Thursday,” Blake Schulte said. “…She would stay and dress all the steak plates as they came in.”

Blake Schulte said Dulcie Schulte also cooked in the early days and would fill in as a dishwasher. He said she was a respected and beloved member of the team. Blake Schulte and Schulte Langford said that their mother valued family, generosity, education and honesty.

“It all goes back to family again, to always put your family first and be there for them. Support them in whatever they do, however they want to do it, and that’s what she did,” Schulte Langford said about the most valuable lesson she learned from her mother.

Dulcie Schulte raised three children: Kristie, Kim and Blake. Schulte Langford said that her seven grandchildren were her proudest accompl ishments. As a mother, Schulte Langford described her as a fun, creative mom dedicated to supporting her children’s sports and activities.

“For years, I did competitive gymnastics in Katy. I trained in Katy three days a week, and she would get off school and drive me to Katy and sit there for three hours while I did a workout, and she would grade her school papers,” Schulte Langford said. “We’d get home at nine o’clock at night. She never complained about it. She would always just put us first whatever we wanted to do or whatever we needed she made sure to do that.”

Schulte Langford said her mother would want to be remembered as someone who cared for everyone else. Dulcie Schulte was buried in Odd Fellows Rest Cemetery in Columbus after a funeral service on Wednesday, June 25. Her obituary directs for memorial and donations to be given to Shriner’s Hospital for Children, 6977 Main St., Houston, Texas 77030.