Raymond John Schmidt, 76

Raymond John Schmidt, 76, passed away on March 12, 2011, at the Montana Veterans Home in Columbia Falls, due to complications with Alzheimer’s.

He was born on Jan. 19, 1935 in Glendive.

He moved to the Flathead Valley at an early age with his immediate family and maternal grandparents, Anton and Carolina Hoerner. He grew up in Whitefish, just steps away from Whitefish Lake.

At the age of 17, Raymond joined the Navy, completed his service with an honorable discharge in 1953, and in September of 1954 married Darlene K. Vance. The following years brought the birth of their three children, Rick, George and Terri.

Raymond worked at Plum Creek for 20 years, started and worked his own multi-generational business, Track Knives (now known as Schmidt  Knives), and completed his working years with Idaho Timber for 26 years. He obtained his GED at the age of 50, and became a super house husband and supporter for Darlene while she attended college.

Among the many qualities that made Raymond a great man was his attitude of selflessness in helping others and his generosity in teaching and sharing his many talents. As an avid lover of the outdoors, he was the first to lend “the secret fly” to any fly fisherman within earshot, and he gave famous fly casting lessons to all family, friends or strangers in the grassy lot next to his home. He spent endless hours tying flies and teaching others to tie in his shop, where he had a collection of all that was fly tying, fishing and other assorted treasures.

Raymond was legendary among family and friends for his gigantic lunches and neverending thermoses of coffee, while hunting and fishing — all of which anyone was welcome to. No one ever went hungry when they were with him in the outdoors or in the Schmidt house. He was not only a talented outdoorsman but he also was an amazing wood carver, knife maker, painter, floral designer and gardener. His family loved to fight over his strawberries, canned vegetables and pickled fish.

Raymond is missed by all who knew him but the memories and experiences he filled our lives with have made us better and stronger people; he has given us gifts that will be with us forever — including his fly patterns. 

He was preceded in death by his father and mother, George and Frances Schmidt; sister, Helen Pagel, and daughter-in-law Cindy (Roller) Schmidt.

He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Darlene, three children, Rick and his companion Cathy Olson, George and his wife Susan, and Terri and her husband Bruce Adams; grandchildren, Rachel (Schmidt) VandeVoort and husband Alex, and Jason Schmidt, (Rick’s children); John Schmidt and wife Catherine and Eric Schmidt, (George’s children); Nathan Wyss and fiancee Vanessa Guerra, Kelly Wyss and fiancee Joanna Tai, LaNae Adams Lee and husband Justin, and Jeremy Adams (Terri and Bruce’s children); great- grandchildren, Maclean and Schafer VandeVoort, (Rachel’s children); and Maci Lee, (LaNae’s daughter); nieces, Cindy Moore and Trina Jones; and nephew, Tyke Pagel.

There are few people in life that are blessed to know and be loved by a great man — those of us that knew Raymond Schmidt are among those few.

A funeral Mass and barbecue celebration of Raymond’s life will be held July 2. Contact any of the immediate Schmidt family for more details.

Donations can be made in Raymond’s memory to the Alzheimer research organization of your choice.