Laila Bernice Schultz, wife of retired Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) National Bishop Raymond (Ray) Lon Schultz, died in hospital due to complications arising from multiple chronic health conditions on Sunday, August 3. She was 68.
A Eucharist in memory of Laila will be held at Redeemer Lutheran Church, Vancouver on Saturday, August 9 at 4:00 p.m. Memorial gifts may be made in Laila’s name to the ELCIC’s Global Hunger and Development Appeal.
Laila was well known throughout the ELCIC and built many relationships, one person at a time, through personal sharing. ELCIC National Bishop Susan C. Johnson noted that Laila had made friends not only across the church but also internationally through her work and travel. "Her love of God and her deep commitment to the church were obvious in all she did," said Bishop Johnson. "She will be sadly missed."
It was this gift of relationship building that enabled Laila to excel at her position with Four Corners, an alternative trade program of Canadian Lutheran World Relief which supports artisans and farmers in the developing world by providing a living wage to workers struggling to pay for the basics of life. Laila was the first manager of Four Corners and enjoyed working at the ‘travelling stores’ CLWR provided to conventions and other gatherings throughout the ELCIC. Laila’s work with Four Corners provided her with an opportunity to educate Canadians about life for their sisters and brothers in the global South.
Laila was born to John Walseth and Kara Storm in 1940 in Vancouver, B.C. In addition to her primary and secondary education in Vancouver, Laila attended Camrose Lutheran College in Alberta for grades 11 and 12, and the Canadian Lutheran Bible Institute (CLBI), also in Camrose, for the two-year parish worker’s program. It was there Laila met Ray. Laila also attended the University of Alberta for two years.
Laila and Bishop Ray were married on September 2, 1961 and together raised three children: Lorin (Kathy), Michael (Josee) and Joan. They have four granddaughters: Jennifer, Emily, Lola and Maya.
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The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada is Canada’s largest Lutheran denomination with 174,555 baptized members in 620 congregations. It is a member of the Lutheran World Federation, the Canadian Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches.
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