Don Schutte, 70, of Waterloo, died at Allen Memorial Hospital, on Thursday, February 1, 2007, of cancer.

He was born August 7, 1936, in Nokomis, Illinois, son of Clyde and Ora Hall Schutte.

Don served in the U.S. Army in Japan.

He worked at Boeing Aircraft in Seattle, Washington, Maytag in Hampton, Iowa, John Deere in Waterloo, Iowa from 1963 until retiring in 1992; and for the last ten years as a driver for Lewis System of Iowa.

Don enjoyed fishing, camping, collecting John Deere items, and going on long drives for good food.

Don is survived by longtime companion Elly Wilkes and her children: Troy Wilkes and his wife Marnie, LeRoy Wilkes and his wife Deb, Joleen Pietro and her husband Bruce, all of Waterloo, and Curtis Wilkes and his wife Jan of Voorhies; three daughters: Amy Sykes of Waterloo, Julie Schutte of Washington State, and Donna Bock of Des Moines; son Don Schutte Jr. of Washington State; three sisters: Barbara Gregory and her husband Richard of Moweaqua, Illinois, Jerri Rozevink and her husband Bill of Fremont, Nebraska, and Sandy Heath and her husband Dennis of Mission, Texas; brother Richard Schutte and his wife Shelly of Decatur, Illinois; 13 grandchildren and 1 great grand son: Chelsea, Chanlea, Nikki and her son Matthew, Kayla, Dustin, Bret, Elly Jo, Allyson, Donald, Alexis, Jaylen, Anthony, and Ciara; six nieces and nephews; many friends, and his best friend, his dog Charlie Boy.

He is preceded in death by his parents and a nephew Jeff Gregory.