On June 13th, Schuyler E. Shimanek passed away unexpectedly, but peacefully, in his sleep at his home in Albuquerque, New Mexico. At 66, Schuyler left earlier than any of us would have liked or imagined, but he lived a full and beautiful life.

Schuyler was born in Eugene, Oregon on August 12, 1959, to Richard Glade and Patricia Leigh Shimanek. As the eldest of 9 siblings, Schuyler learned diligence, leadership and responsibility at a young age. When he wasn’t attending to his family, he was exploring the forest around his childhood home, pursuing his Eagle Scout, and practicing both the french horn and piano. As a young man, Schuyler served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Sweden, which contributed to a lifelong dedication to his faith and an abiding appreciation for all things Scandinavian, including ABBA.

Upon his return to the States, Schuyler went to college at Brigham Young University. There, his life changed forever when he met JoAnne Huff. The two fell in love, married for time and eternity in the Manti, Utah Temple, and began raising a family, even as Schuyler pursued two degrees: a bachelor’s in chemical engineering and a master’s in electrical engineering.

Work soon brought Schuyler and JoAnne to Albuquerque—a shocking transition for a boy from the Pacific Northwest—where he excelled as an electrical engineer, authoring or co-authoring 31 patents and winning the award for ‘Innovation of the Year” in 1996 for his Cool Runner Integrated Circuit design. Schuyler’s knack for creation and innovation was not limited to the professional sphere. He was perpetually working on projects ranging from DIY fireworks in the kitchen, to designing and building his own home, to developing a system for cooling milk to the perfect temperature. For all the satisfaction that innovation brought him, the achievement Schuyler was proudest of was raising his four children with JoAnne and seeing them start families of their own. His loving and faithful influence will be felt by them and their posterity for generations to come.

Schuyler is survived by his wife of 45 years, JoAnne; his children, Jared Shimanek and wife Taylor, Rebecca Pankretz and husband Richard, Julie Dahl and husband Alan, Kristen Cushman and husband Daniel; and his siblings Laurie Jorgensen, Lochlan Shimanek, Heidi Larson, Lisl Tallman, Gretchen Shimanek-Cividini, Joseph Shimanek, Jacob Shimanek, and James Shimanek. He also leaves behind fourteen beloved grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, Richard and Patricia.