Schield leaves a lasting legacy
Star News
Editorials
Communities are shaped by the hands of men like Edward “Lee” Schield.
Much like a craftsman framing out a new home or potter at his wheel, they work with skill and grace building a framework and laying a foundation on which great things are built.
They are men who, through their lives, epitomize the values of hard work and entrepreneurship coupled with steadfast and keen business sense. Men who did not fear hard negotiations but who followed up with graciousness.
Across the span of their careers their reach shaped the region and beyond. Impacting not only their own industry but spawning other businesses and industries, weaving a complex web of a fabric that makes everyone stronger.
Schield died this week at the age of 88 and the community joins with his family in mourning his passing. Schield is remembered by many, most notably as the founder of Weather Shield Windows and Doors, a company that employs more than 1,500 workers in plants in Medford and elsewhere. It is a company that helped put and keep Medford and Taylor County on the map.
Schield’s story is the story of American ingenuity and inspiration. It is the story of manufacturing and bringing employment opportunities to an entire region. Schield began in the 1950s as a distributor of storm doors in Detroit, Mich. He knew his product and what his customers wanted. Like many innovators and entrepreneurs, he knew he could give customers what they wanted at the price they were willing to pay. This led him to return to his hometown with the idea of starting his own company. In Medford, Lee and his beloved wife, Clarice, lived on the top floor of a Wisconsin Ave. home. He used the downstairs area to assemble the company’s first products.
The company eventually grew into a small shop. It then expanded to a Hwy 13 plant and continued to develop and expand through the decades.
Like most manufacturing entrepreneurs, Schield knew his greatest resource was his workforce. This legendary Midwest work ethic still remains strong in the region.
Central Wisconsin is a place where people still get up before dawn and a day’s work is only done when the job is finished. Schield created a culture of loyalty in his company.
It is common to see multiple generations of workers from the same family who owe their livelihoods to Weather Shield and many current and former employees measure their length of service in decades rather than years.
Over the years, Schield maintained an active role in the company only stepping back in recent years to make way for the next generation of leadership to carry on the family’s business.
Schield was truly one of the Medford community’s great ones. A home-grown success story and visionary who will serve as an inspiration for future entrepreneurs and business leaders to come.
Edward “Lee” Schield will be missed.
