Edward Kenneth Shultz Jr.

The second child of six children, Ned was born into a fun loving family and raised with his siblings, Fred, Almarie, Susan, Nancy and Robbie. Ned was raised in Bethesda MD, except for during his school years, when his family spent a very memorable two years in Okinawa, Japan.

After Graduating High School, Ned broke records for failing grades at Case Institute of Technology. His above average intelligence and confident attitude led him to travel instead, until he was sent to Vietnam, where he learned the true value of education and also great music. Equally as influential was a yearlong detour in Northern Italy after wartime, where he began his lifelong love affair with Italian Food, Wine, and Culture.

But the greatest love affair began upon his return to the States, where the pretty girl he’d barely met before heading to Vietnam still remembered his name. Ned and Patty dated, married and ran off to Eugene, Oregon where he began his learning in earnest. While raising a family of four children together, Ned studied Undergraduate at The University of Oregon, followed by a doctor of medicine at Yale University Medical School, Completed an Internship in Clinical Pathology at Barnes Hospital, and completed a residency in Medical Informatics at the University of Minnesota. Patty and Ned spent a decade creatively living in student housing, and a variety of homes and apartments, with little money but lots of children and lots of love.

Ned’s career included working for Dartmouth Medical Center, the VA Hospital, and Vanderbilt. He took his work seriously and worked tirelessly. He gained national recognition through his research, teaching and service, and as a Professor of Biomedical Informatics. (Later Emeritus)

Upon arriving in Nashville, Ned was lucky to find himself in the position of playing bass in the band “Soul Incision” The band was a part of his life that he loved and he took on the role of the stoic sunglassed Bass Player. Patty was his biggest groupie.

Ned was a loving father who constantly supported his children in their academic endeavors with enthusiasm, and gave his time very earnestly and generously to their studies. From taking the kids out of school for science class in the basement, to camping for hands on learning, to winning science competitions, and building radios, Ned always shared his love of understanding the world around him, and taught anyone within his reach about the value of education. He was also a committed runner and ran the City of lakes Marathon in 1980.

His three living children, Rainbow, Teddy and Forest are forever grateful for his love that he shared in the form of teaching and guidance.

Ned lost his youngest son Beck to schizophrenia 15 years ago, and his broken heart never fully mended.

In his later years, Ned dove into the hobby of golf, which he loved to play with his friends and family. He loved his grandchildren (Kofi, Otto, Juna, Bert), playing with them, playing guitar, dancing to music, writing music, eating great Italian Food, drinking good Scotch, drinking good Bourbon, drinking good coffee, baking amazing sourdough, and generally tinkering in the kitchen to share the best things in the world with his wife Patty.

Although he was diagnosed with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, likely as a result of his time exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam, he fought for years to spend more time with the love of his life and also because he loved life. Together, he and Patty shared 55 beautiful years of time spent outside in nature, living all over the country, traveling the world, enjoying dinners, conversation, dancing, raising children, enjoying grandchildren and supporting one another unconditionally throughout a long journey together.

He is best known for enjoying and winning arguments, being a crazy man on the dance floor, giving speeches at every important event, and being a smart and creative mind to turn to with any and all of life’s twists and turns. He is loved and missed by his family and friends.

Remembrance can be made through your contributions to:

A donor can make a gift online to:Donate Now - UT Southwestern Medical Center Engage.utsouthwestern.edu Select: Other from the designation drop down and enter Dr Carol Tamminga.There is another box where you can write for the Beck Shultz Schizophrenia Research Fund

Or a donor can mail a check to: UT Southwestern Medical Center, Office of Development and Alumni Relations, PO Box 910777, Dallas TX 75391-0888 and include Memo : Dr Tamminga Research, Beck Shultz Schizophrenia Research Fund