At the age 40, John Vernon Schlum and wife Dawn sold their Car Dealership in Clawson, Michigan and moved the family of five to Fountain Hills, Arizona. This all happened in December 1977 when Fountain Hills was a very small community, not yet a town. 

Driving the moving truck from West Bloomfield (Detroit), Michigan to Arizona was an adventure and arriving in Fountain Hills was like a dream. John and Dawn had no career set up here and ultimately they both became full-time Realtors in our community. John was focused on serving our community and most notably our youth, businesses and investors to our Town and developed property himself. 

John was a leader, a fun friend to many and worked tirelessly with friends to bring Fountain Hills to fruition ultimately through incorporation efforts. During his 20 years full time in Fountain Hills, John volunteered in many areas including the beginning of the Fountain Hills Little League where he led and volunteered building baseball fields along with years of coaching. 

He was a long-time member of the Fountain Hills Rotary Club which supported youth in our community. The Schlum family also hosted exchange students through Rotary and their home was a hub of good times with friends of theirs and their three kids’ friends.

John passed away in the prime of his life in 1997 at the age of 59 due to Colon Cancer. His wife Dawn and children remain here. Eldest son, Jay, followed his Dad’s life of service and was elected two terms as our Town’s Mayor. John & Dawn’s daughter Jaki and Jay both followed their parents into careers in real estate while youngest son Kip served at Luke Air Force Base as a Lieutenant Colonel.