Richard Luther Schuman , 92, of rural Columbia City, passed away at 7:26 p.m. Thursday, June 27, 2024, at Parkview Regional Medical Center in Fort Wayne.

Born on September 21, 1931, in Columbia City, Indiana, he was a son of the late Homer Earl and Dorothy C. (Kanable) Schuman.  Growing up on a farm in Richland, Twp., he graduated from Larwill High School in 1949.  He began college at Purdue University until he was inducted into the U.S. Army on September 9, 1952.

After serving in the Korean Conflict, he was honorably discharged on July 9, 1954. He returned to the area and attended Indiana University in Bloomington, where he received a Bachelor's of Geology. He then attended the University of Kansas, where he earned a Master's of Geology. He continued his postgraduate work, pursuing a PhD in Geology at Stanford University in California.

Joining the Standard Oil Company, he worked in Texas as a Geologist and later took an assignment in Egypt. When Standard Oil asked him to relocate to Chicago, he declined and returned to the family farm in Richland Twp.  Having the desire to help others with his knowledge and experience, he joined the Peace Corps, becoming one of the oldest volunteers.  He was assigned to Gambia, West Africa, where he taught remote villagers' better methods of farming and self-sufficiency.  Accepted into the village, he became a lifelong friend and member.

Throughout his life, Richard had a quest for knowledge, keeping current with world events.  He traveled to many countries and climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa.  He was skilled with his hands, whether performing carpentry, electrical, or mechanical work on the farm.  A walking encyclopedia, he was versed in history.  He liked to garden and had taken the Master Gardener courses.

To keep physically fit, he participated many times as a fast-paced walker in the Veteran's Marathon of Whitley County. To train, he would regularly walk the area around the family farm.

Surviving are his siblings, Paul R. Schuman, Mary E. Schuman, and Nancy J. Schuman, all of Columbia City; nieces, Diana (Kim) Hare and Lisa Peppler; two great-nieces; and five great-great nieces and nephews.

The funeral service is 10 a.m. Wednesday at Smith & Sons Funeral Home, Columbia City. Burial with military honors will be at Greenhill Cemetery. Visitation is from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, please make memorials in Richard's honor to the Schuman Family Scholarship Fund c/o the Purdue Foundation or The Veterans National Memorial Shrine and Museum, Fort Wayne.