George Sumner Schmidt, 55

“A new construction supervisor was appointed to the highways in heaven” on July 31, 2012.  

George Sumner Schmidt, 55, passed away at home in the arms of his family and surrounded by friends as his battle with cancer ended.  

George was born in Whitefish on Aug. 5, 1956, to Raymond and Darlene Schmidt.  

In 1979 he met Susan Witty and they were married two years later in 1981. George and Sue felt so blessed to have shared 30 years of love and dedication with each other.

As a young man, George was quiet, shy and well-liked by everyone. He was a terrific athlete that played basketball, football and baseball, and belonged to the Whitefish Junior Rifle Club. He was known for working hard at whatever he put his mind to his entire life, even when it came to the picking and selling of night crawlers to buy a rifle as a kid. In high school, and part-time after he graduated, he worked alongside his dad and brother in the family business making Track Knives.  

In 1977, George found his true life's calling when he started working for Schellinger Construction. He started at the bottom as an oiler on the rock crusher. After many years of learning the qualities and specs of gravel from the ground up, pun intended, and running the crusher, he left his most prized position to his capable and skilled crews. He began traveling the state looking for gravel for upcoming jobs, troubleshooting problems and finding solutions to challenges anywhere the company was working.  George worked for Schellinger Construction for 35 years, and through those years he transformed from a quiet, shy young man into a man people turned to for advice, guidance and help for all matters business and personal. George's “men and women” of Schellinger are a tribute to his life; the bonds developed through the years while working side by side gave him true joy, friendship and camaraderie. We are all grateful for their love.

George became an avid hunter and fisherman at a very young age. He was a natural-born storyteller just like his dad, brother and the other Hoerner men. He made you feel like you were actually there and could remember where, when and who was along on every fishing or hunting trip. His greatest joy was going on hunting or fishing trips with his family and friends. George was always hunting for pheasant, grouse, elk, deer, duck, goose, turkey, moose, buffalo, goat and doves; or fishing for pike, trout, perch, halibut, salmon, bonefish, whitefish and grayling. The stories from elk camp and Shorty’s are legendary and will be held close in our hearts.  

George was a longtime supporter and member of the Glacier Gun Dog Club. He was well-known for his dog training ability and his beloved dogs. George was a member of the trap shooting club for many years and helped start the local chapter of the Pheasants Forever Youth Trap League. He loved helping the young people learn to shoot and spending time with them. When his boys, John and Eric, decided to play soccer he became an expert in the sport. He felt it was important to teach them that it wasn't about winning the game; it was about how you handled the successes as well as the disappointments. Even though his job kept him out of town and busy, a six-hour drive wasn't too long to keep him from attending his boys' soccer games, choir concerts, baseball games, band concerts or any other important event.

George loved to entertain and made every opportunity to share it with friends and family. He could make flawless gravy, and even made duck taste good! George loved his life. He loved his family, friends, co-workers and Schellinger Construction. Al was his mentor and treasured friend. He lived with no regrets and felt blessed to have been touched by so many people.

George was preceded in death by his grandparents, George and Frances Schmidt, Ida Landon, and Charles Vance; and his father, Raymond Schmidt.  

He is survived by his wife, Susan of Whitefish; sons, John and beautiful wife Catherine of Kalispell, and Eric of Whitefish; mother, Darlene Schmidt; brother, Rick Schmidt; sister, Terri Adams and husband Bruce; niece, Rachel VandeVoort; nephews, Nathan Wyss, Kelly Wyss, and Jason Schmidt. He is also survived by many other aunts, uncles, cousins and in-laws who loved him.  

A Catholic Funeral Mass will take place at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 18 at St. Richard's Catholic Church in Columbia Falls. A celebration of George's life will be held immediately afterwards at 4405 Whitefish Stage Road (the Carlson Gravel Pit).  It was George's wish that everyone gather together to tell stories, laugh and celebrate the moments we all have shared.

The family was extremely blessed to have the love and care of Lori Mitchell during this difficult time.  Any donations in George's honor may be made to Home Options Hospice, 275 Corporate Drive, Suite 600, Kalispell, Montana 59901.

You are invited to go to www.austinfh.com to offer condolences, share memories and view George's tribute wall.

Arrangements are entrusted to Austin Funeral Home.