MADISON - Philip Michael Schumacher, age 70, passed away on December 27, 2020 after a decade’s-plus battle with multiple myeloma.

Phil was born and raised in Madison. He attended St. Bernard’s Grade School, Madison Edgewood High School, and graduated from Madison East High School in 1968. After his first three semesters at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW), he joined the Air Force.

While in the Air Force, he married the truly one and only love of his life, Linda Hilton, and together they had their first child, Philip John. When Phil’s service was complete, the family moved back to Madison, where Phil joined Oscar Mayer, the beginning of a 34-year career with Oscar Mayer and its parent and affiliated companies.

Phil completed a BA in Sociology and an MS in Industrial Relations at the UW in 1975 and 1977. He and Linda welcomed their second and third children during that time, Lauri (Rollings) and Christopher.

In 1981 the family moved to Iowa, where they spent seven years at two locations of Oscar Mayer. They returned to Madison in 1988 where Phil was the Corporate Labor Relations Manager and later the Assistant Director of Management and Organizational Development. In 1994, Phil, Linda, and Chris moved to Connecticut as Phil joined General Foods in White Plains, New York to collaborate on the strategy and execution of combining the sales forces Oscar Mayer, General Foods, and Kraft. Assignment completed, Phil returned to Madison as Corporate Director of Human Resources for Oscar Mayer.

In 1996 Phil was promoted to VP Human Resources for Kraft Canada and moved to Toronto. In 1998 Phil was promoted to VP Human Resources for (CEEMA) Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa Region of Kraft International and moved to Vienna, Austria. In 2002, Phil moved to Phillip Morris (later Altria) in New York City where he was VP Administration and later VP of Management and Organization Development. In 2004 Phil was promoted to Senior VP Human Resources for Kraft Foods International and moved to Chicago. From there he retired in 2006 and moved back to Madison.

Phil was a member of the Board of Directors for AIESEC (international student association) and later joined SCORE.

After retirement Phil taught for seven years as a lecturer at the UW School of Business, Madison College, and Phoenix University (Madison campus).

Phil’s passions were family, reading, and travel. In 2013 with great joy he became the beloved “Baba” to his only grandchild, Sam, who quickly became one of Phil’s best friends. With Kraft, Phil did business in 60 countries on six continents. He and Linda vacationed in Russia, Turkey, and Croatia, among many other countries. After retirement he and Linda set out to complete visits to all 50 states. In 2019, with a trip to Alaska, they accomplished that goal.

Phil was preceded in death by his son, Philip John, his parents Ken and Regina, his brothers Peter and Eugene, and his sister Jane. He is survived by the love of his life and wife of 50 years, Linda, his daughter Lauri (Joel) Rollings, his son Christopher (Bridget Miliacca), his grandson Sam Rollings, his sister Katy (David) Dycus, his brothers Danny and Greg, his sister Mary, his sister-in-law Debra Heaney, brother-in-law Bob (Jodi) Hilton, and numerous nieces, nephews, and friends.

“Good night sweet prince; And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.” A Mass of Christian worship will be held when Covid restrictions allow.

Phil and Linda would like to thank the staff at the UW Carbone Cancer Clinic and the Cancer Center at Froedert and the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, especially Doctors Natalie Callander and Walter Longo.

In lieu of flowers please contribute in Phil’s name to the Carbone Cancer Center at the UW Hospitals and Clinics in Madison. You can do that at https://www.classy.org/fundraiser/3087538.

If you would like to mail in a check, please send it to:

UW Carbone Cancer Center

Attn: Katie Williquette

600 Highland Ave, K4/658

Madison, WI 53792

To view and sign this guestbook, please visit: www.ryanfuneralservice.com.

Ryan Funeral Home & Cremation Services

Verona Chapel

220 Enterprise Drive

608-845-6625

Philip Schumacher

January 23, 1950 - December 27, 2020

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