Al Amstutz spent his career as an educator, working as a high school principal, superintendent, and college professor.He and his wife, Gretchen, moved to Beulah in 1997 and lived out their retirement on the shores of Platte Lake.What is remembered for his patience, kindness, and ability to listen. He had a strong faith in God, and he was generous, wise, accepting, and extremely caring.His father was a wood carver and craftsman, Al would recall sitting in his shop watching him work and talking with him about important things in life. In 2002 Al borrowed a lathe, bought some tools and began to learn how to turn. Subsequently, he then bought two more lathes, did a lot of practicing and spent a week with a nationally renowned wood turner learning how to use tools properly. One of the things Al enjoyed most is selecting a piece of wood and studying it to decide how best to use it. If you look carefully at Al’s work you will often find the flaws and know that it, like you, it is not perfect. Al would look for flaws to include purposely. When worked carefully and properly with the correct tools and techniques, wood will serve well for its’ desired end product. Al once said, “Wood Mimics life, it is beautiful but has flaws, both visible and invisible. The flaws in pieces of wood are just like the flaws in people. They are internal and external flaws. You can seek the flaws and discount the wood because of them or you can incorporate them into your work and consider them part of the beauty of the wood.”. Al passed away in 2023 at the age of 81. His kind and endearing spirit lives on through his work.