Schmidt, Ervin W. (1909-2005)

SCHMIDT, HESSE, CAVANAUGH, WILKES, ELLERBE, MCCOLOUGH, RANGE, GRUPE

Posted By: Paul Nagy (email)
Date: 1/12/2010 at 11:26:18

Ervin W. Schmidt - Feb. 4, 1909 - Dec. 17, 2005

Ervin W. Schmidt, age 96, a former Chief of Administration, Office of Security, CIA, and a resident of Montgomery County, MD from 1951 to 2003, received his victory in Christ on Saturday, Dec. 17, 2005 at Amerisist of Warrenton, Virginia.

Erv was born in Sac County, Iowa, on Feb. 4, 1909, and spent most of his early years there on a farm. He graduated from Galva High School and the American College of Commerce in Omaha, Nebraska. He served as Assistant Postmaster in Schaller, Iowa from 1937 to 1941 and then accepted an appointment with the Public Buildings Administration in Washington, DC. Erv transferred to the Office of Strategic Services in 1943 and continued his career into the CIA from which he retired in 1969.

After retirement, Mr. Schmidt became the Director/Developer of Raven Rock Lutheran Camp, a 250-acre site in the Catoctin Mountains near Thurmont, MD with programs for all age groups including under-privileged. For his 10 years of volunteer service for the camp and other humanitarian actions, he was given the Servant of Christ Award by the Southeastern District, Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod in 1988. Erv was active in the Lutheran Laymen's League from 1946 to 2001, an organization known for its world-wide Christian broadcasts by over 2000 stations. For his love of serving people in volunteer work, including Meals on Wheels and Social Ministry, he was named one of the Beautiful People of Maryland in 1989.

Erv was married to Thekla Hesse, of Mapleton, Iowa in 1936 at St. John's Lutheran Church in Hanover, Iowa, where he was baptized and confirmed as a child.

He is survived by two daughters and their husbands: Karen and Thomas Cavanaugh of Basye, VA and Barbara and Gerald Wilkes of Warrenton, VA; and by five grandchildren: Tamara Ellerbe, Susan McColough, Thomas Wilkes, Pamela Range, and Steve Grupe, as well as five great-grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to Lutheran Hour Ministries, 660 Mason Ridge Center Drive, St. Louis, MO 63141-8557.

Funeral service for Mr. Schmidt will be held at St. John Lutheran Church, Hanover, rural Alta, Iowa at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 7, 2006, with Reverend Mark Abraham officiating. Burial will be in St. John’s Cemetery, also at Hanover. Arrangements are under the direction of the Sliefert Funeral Home in Storm Lake. A memorial service was held on Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2005 at the Lutheran Church of St. Andrew in Silver Spring, Maryland.

A brief time of visitation will be held at the church for one hour prior to service time.

Copyright © 2005, Sliefert Funeral Homes

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