 James Lewis Schueler Jr. |
Members of the forklift community showed an outpouring of affection and compassion in saying good-bye this week to James Lewis Schueler Jr.
Many hundreds of friends, business acquaintances and family members paid their respects - many in emotional terms with expressions of shock - during a 30 January visitation at Walker Funeral Home and a 31January memorial service at Christ Presbyterian Church, both in Toledo. Mourners referred to the expert on materials handling equipment as polite, well mannered, professional and upbeat, often with a twinkle in his eye.
Schueler, 65, was shot in the back of his head in his Toledo office on the morning of 27 January. Police arrested Mark A Langlois, 50, on the evening of 28 January, and prosecutors have charged Langlois with one count of murder.
Schueler was executive vice president and general manager of Forklifts of Toledo and vice president of Towlift Inc. Forklifts of Toledo has 20 employees and operates under the umbrella of Cleveland, Ohio-based Towlift, which deals with 11 forklift brands.
Forklifts of Toledo is the exclusive authorised dealer for the Linde, Clark and Sellick brands in 14 counties in north-west Ohio and two counties in south-east Michigan and also represents Big Joe and Hoist product lines.
Schueler attended a 25-26 January corporate product launch at the Clark Material Handling facility in Lexington, Kentucky and was actively involved in the conversations during the sessions.
Jim Schueler was born in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, graduated from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo and started his sales and marketing career with consumer goods firm Proctor & Gamble Co.
He worked in the materials handling industry for more than four decades, initially with the marketing group at Clark. He held several Clark executive sales positions and, in the late 1980s, became one of the principals at the Clark dealership in Toledo.
He was a member of the Detroit Athletic Club and Sylvania Country Club, served on the board of Toledo's International Park and had an affection for boating.
Survivors include his wife of 38 years, Katie; daughter Sara Graham; two sons, James III and Michael; his father, James Schueler of St Claire Shores, Michigan; and five brothers. He lived with his wife in a Sylvania home about 9 miles (14.4 km) from the Forklifts of Toledo facility.
Memorial donations may go to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northwest Ohio, 3883 Monroe St, Toledo, OH 43606 or the Dossin Great Lakes Museum through the Detroit Historical Society, 5401 Woodward Ave, Detroit MI 48202.
The Toledo Police Department is withholding many details about the case. "This early in the investigation, I am apt not to give out any additional information," says Jeffrey Clark with the detective bureau.
It is known that a Forklifts of Toledo employee found Schueler lying in a pool of blood on the floor in his office shortly before 9 am on 27 January. An ambulance crew took Schueler to the University of Toledo Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
As part of the investigation, police searched the dealerhip's roof and discovered evidence purportedly linking Langlois to the shooting. Police did not find a firearm.
James Patrick, Lucas County coroner, made a preliminary ruling of homicide following an autopsy. Schueler had a contact gunshot wound to the head, but the angle of the shot virtually ruled out a self-inflicted wound.
Judge Michael Goulding set bond for Langlois at USD750,000 following the suspect's arraignment on 31 January in the municipal court in Toledo. Langlois' next court hearing is scheduled for 4 February. He is being held in the Lucas County jail. Recently, Langlois resided in the Meadowbrook Estates mobile home park in south Toledo.