Fred A, Schmidt

Fred Schmidt, 83, died on June 10, 2022. He was born to Fred Schmidt Sr. and Ruth (née Ax) Schmidt on March 11, 1939 and raised on a farm in Beach City, Ohio. An avid musician and scholar, he graduated valedictorian of his Beach City High School class and earned a degree in chemical engineering at Case Western in Cleveland. After graduation, Fred was called into the ministry, attended Dayton Theological Seminary, and was ordained as a minister in the United Methodist Church in 1961. He led congregations at Paradise Hill in Ashland, Chapel of the Cross in North Lawrence, Granger in Medina, Garrettsville UMC in Garrettsville, and Goodyear Heights in Akron, serving over forty years in full-time ministry. He continued to serve as a visitation minister into his seventies at Hudson UMC and Fohl Memorial in Navarre. Fred married Lois in 1961 and was the beloved father to five children: Mark, Paul (Dani), John (Linda), Joy (Osias), and Beth (John). He married Sue Ann in 1992 and lovingly raised Jon (Paola) and Annie (Arturo). Along with his wife Sue and his seven children, Fred is survived by 18 grandchildren: Brittany, Brenton, Hope, Ruthie, Matthew, Erica, Joseph, Abigail, Grace, Katy, Emily, Benjamin, Sarah, Amanda, AJ, Mateo, Antonio, and Emma. Fred loved the Lord and compassionately served Him through ministry. He enjoyed gardening, playing the clarinet, and shaping language for everything from eloquent sermons to questionable puns. A service of thanksgiving to God for the gift Fred has been in so many lives will be held at United Methodist Church Camp Wanake later this summer. Please consider a gift in Fred's memory to Wanake Camp and Retreat Center, 9463 Manchester Ave SW, Beach City, Ohio, 44608 or a charity of your choice.