Earl James Schmidt, 26 Aug 1937 - 17 Mar 2022

SCHMIDT, REYNOLDS, SWANSON, PHILLIPS

Posted By: Sarah Witte (email)
Date: 3/24/2022 at 14:26:14

Earl J. Schmidt, age 84, passed away peacefully on the evening of March 17, 2022, at St. Luke’s Unity Point Hospice in Cedar Rapids. He was born on his family farm east of Williamsburg on August 26, 1937. Earl attended Kirkwood Community College and continued farming at the family farm. He was also part of the Iowa National Guard.

Earl was united in marriage to Frances Swanson on June 20, 1999 at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Homestead. He loved working with cattle and watching the calves play in the fields in the springtime. Earl’s nieces and nephews enjoyed being bounced on his knee or riding him like a horse. He also enjoyed participating in Ragbrai bike rides, reading, and attending Iowa basketball games with his wife Frances. One of Earl’s earliest memories include sledding down the snowy hills of the farm with his father.

Earl is survived by his brothers, Don (Rita) Schmidt and Randy (Becky) Schmidt, a sister Renee Phillips, two sisters-in-law, Eva (Leo) Schmidt and Karen Schmidt.

He was preceded in death by his parents Arnold and Mary (Reynolds) Schmidt, his wife Frances, a brother Eugene and a brother-in-law Robert Phillips.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m., Monday, March 21, 2022 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Oxford. Visitation will be 9:30 a.m., until service time, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Oxford. Earl will rest in the St. John’s Lutheran Cemetery, in Homestead next to his wife Frances. Memorials may be contributed to the family. Kloster Funeral Home, Marengo, is assisting the family with arrangements.

Earl was a kind and gentle soul and will be missed.

“…You'll look down, and gently you'll implore us to live so we may see your smiling face once more…”

Published in The Hometown Current on March 23, 2022, an abbreviated version was published in The Gazette on March 21, 2022.