Ruth, Marvin Schuster presented Servant Leadership Award

Ruth and Marvin Schuster expressed a love for doing the right thing before they were honored with the Sue Marie and Bill Turner Servant Leadership Award Tuesday night.

A crowd of almost 600 gathered in the ballroom of the Columbus Convention & Trade Center for the black-tie event. Each year, the Pastoral Institute presents the award to an extraordinary couple who has passion and desire for serving others.

Marvin Schuster, who helped build a family business in Schuster Enterprises, which owns and operates Burger King restaurants throughout the Southeast, said he knows that serving others is the right thing. “You train yourself once you’ve learned what’s right and wrong and you train yourself to do right, but it doesn’t happen that easily,” he said. “The easy part is actually a lot of fun.”

For more than 28 years, Ruth Schuster has delivered Meals on Wheels to the homeless. “I guess I’m honored, but I’m also humbled,” she said of the award.

The Schusters, married for 56 years and residents of Harris County, were recognized for their love of community, commitment to their faith and devotion to family qualities demonstrated in the community and charitable interests. They have supported the international ministries of both the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Columbia International University in Columbia, S.C., for more than 32 years.

GALLERY: Spotted @ Sue Marie and Bill Turner Servant Leadership Gala

When asked what has been most dear to him, Marvin Schuster said teaching Bible study for 35 to 40 years.

“You certainly learn servant leadership in there,” he said. “You find out it is a joy for you to do it. That has taken up a lot of my time. Other things I have enjoyed is the United Way work. I did 10 hard years there and they are not easy. In some cases, you are asking people for a lot of money, but it has treated us well.”

Each year, the Schusters support the United Way to minister to the diverse needs of residents of their region.

Marvin Schuster said he thinks God sends a little message for you to serve and they do it cheerfully.

“It’s a lot of fun when you see someone’s else face take on a little kindness and smile. see a happy moment in their life,” he said. “You go home feeling pretty good.”

Guest speaker for the event was Ruth Graham, the third child of Ruth and Billy Graham. She is the author of “Fear Not Tomorrow, God is Already There,” and the award-winning book, “In Every Pew Sits a Broken Heart.”

Schuster recognized the support of his family, which includes three sons: Mitchell, a physician in Decatur, Ala.; Chris, the owner of Cross Court Sports in Columbus; and Todd, who owns Schuster Enterprises Inc., the family business started by Marvin and Ruth Schuster in 1967.

“Often, they help me and vice versa,” he said of the family. “It is not like a one-man project.”

This story was originally published October 21, 2014 at 9:18 PM with the headline "Ruth, Marvin Schuster presented Servant Leadership Award."