A suburban man has died after his truck was swept away by raging floodwaters in Iowa this week.
According to authorities, Elburn resident William Schulze was trying to cross the Little Sioux River in Clay County in a pickup truck when it was swept away by the flooded river.
Now, his son Brian Schulze is describing a loving father who was passionate about farming and tractors, which brought him to Iowa for a tractor club event.
“Growing up on a farm, he’s always been into tractors,” he said. “That’s his hobby now.”
The 75-year-old retiree had a farm in Elburn, and was a proud member of the tractor club, which brought him around the Midwest.
“They were having an event in Iowa. A three-day event called the ‘Red Power Roundup,’ Brian Schulze said. “Working a table and meeting people.”
The sheriff’s office in Clay County received a call Saturday after a pickup was seen trying to cross floodwaters in Spencer, Iowa. A witness said the river picked up the truck and carried it out of sight.
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After a search by multiple agencies, Schulze’s body was found on Monday.
“My mom hadn’t heard from him in a couple days, so I started calling the police,” Brian Schulze said. “I found out four hours later that they had found him.”
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According to the family, William Schulze was a retired account manager after working for years at Central DuPage Hospital, and had gotten into showcasing farm equipment as a hobby in the years after his retirement.
Now, a family is left to mourn their loss.
“William Schulze was a great father, husband, and grandfather,” Brian said. “Make sure your loved ones know you love them, and try to spend as much time with them as you can.”
Officials say that the river crested at approximately 45 feet amid the historic flooding. Officials said the crest was seven feet higher than the previous record, calling the flood “unprecedented” in statements this week.
Floodwaters in the area are so high that entire roads and even homes have been washed away.
