KENNETH SCHMIDT
1922-2018
Kenneth Wilfred Schmidt, our beloved father and “Papou” passed away on Monday, the 26th of November 2018, at the age of 96. He was born on the 8th of July 1922, in St. Charles, Missouri to William and Irene Schmidt. Kenneth went to St. Charles High School, where he was the Senior Class President and, as he liked to tell you, a “60 minute man” on the varsity football team. After high school, and working a few years, he served in World War II, in the northern Africa and Italian invasions. He was very proud of his service to his country and was able to attend an event in Washington D.C. honoring World War II veterans in 2015, and rode in the Veteran’s day Parade in 2015.
After the war, he attended the University of Missouri, on the G.I. Bill, where he met our mother, Joann Leontsinis, of St. Louis, Missouri. They were married in Houston, Texas on July 15, 1949. Dad started in the insurance business in Houston, in 1949, and had many business endeavors until he founded Maritime Services, LTD., in 1977, a diversified trucking company located on Telephone Road across the street from Hobby Airport. My brother Derek was his longtime partner, and my sister Diane, worked there with Dad in the later years. Dad loved his business, working with his children, and the people that worked there. He was working at the office up until three weeks before his passing! He is a long time member of St. John the Divine Episcopal Church.
Kenneth is preceded in death by our dear mother Joann, who passed away in 2003. We miss her every day of our life. They were married 54 years until her passing. He is also preceded in death by his siblings, Kurt, Eugene, and Margaret Ann.
He is survived by his three children, Derek Schmidt and wife Janie, Tim Schmidt and wife Rebecca, and Diane Yanez and husband Charlie; ten grandchildren, Alicia, Zachary (Jessica), Tara, Michelle, Derek Jr., Brittany, Alexis, Skylar, Connor, and Jackson; three great-grandchildren, Ashton, Camryn, and Cody. His sister Mary (Jess), his sister in law, Marylee, and his brother in law, Bob, and numerous nieces and nephews also survive him.
His family would like to give special thanks to the caregivers at the end of his life, Catriona, Marilyn, and the people of Kindred Care Hospice.
In closing, his children would like to use a quote from his golf pro at Brae Burn Country Club, who said, “In all of his life and golf career he had never met a person who “elevated” others as much as Ken Schmidt did”. That was our father and “Papou”, the most kind, loving, sincere, and generous person all of us have ever had in our life.
Dad and “Papou”, you will be very missed. We love you, your children Derek, Tim, and Diane.
A funeral service is to be conducted at noon on Saturday, the 1st of December, in the Chapel of St. John the Divine, 2450 River Oaks Blvd in Houston, with the Rev. Louise Samuelson officiating.
The interment will follow, via an escorted cortege, at Memorial Oaks Cemetery in Houston.
In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests memorial contributions in Kenneth Schmidt’s memory to be directed to Honor Flight Houston, P.O Box 73145, Houston, Texas 77273