Obituary of Roy W. Schmidt

Roy W. Schmidt passed away in Fredericksburg, Texas on June 30, 2008, at the age of 89. He was born and reared in Needville, TX by two loving parents, Anton B. Schmidt and Ida M. (Dippel) Schmidt. He is survived by his loving wife, LaVern (Skeet Ingram) Schmidt of Fredericksburg and Mer Rouge, LA; a son, Rodney D. Schmidt, MD, of Austin, TX; a daughter, Susan D. Smith of Highland Village, TX and her husband Stephen Smith; a step-son, David Ingram Burkett of Monroe, LA and his wife Sharon; a step-daughter, Colleen (Burkett) Brezden of Kerrville, TX and her husband Mike; and his wife's step-son, Bill Blythe of St. Augustine, FL; six grandchildren; Matthew Burkett and his wife Larissa Ruuskanen, PHD, of Fredericksburg, VA, Ashley Colleen Burkett of Long Beach, CA, Kristin Schmidt Kadar and her husband Misha of Midland, VA, Alyson Smith and her fiance` Nicholas Walz of Dallas, TX, Sarah E. Smith of Dallas, TX, and Katherine M. Schmidt of Austin, TX; one great grandchild, Finius Maxwell Burkett of Fredericksburg, VA. He is also survived by his sister, Esther I. Schmidt Beard of Guy, TX; five nieces, Donna Ingram Howie, Leslie Ingram Pope, Amelia Beard, Bonnie Beard and Rebecca Beard Junker; four nephews, Leslie Brent Ingram, Alton Earl Ingram, Jr., Sidney Beard and Tommy Beard; and with grand nephews and grand nieces. He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Edna Schmidt, and his beloved wife Trudy A. (Bushnell) Schmidt, the mother of his children, who passed away in 1971. Mr. Schmidt was a charter member of the Lake Jackson, TX, Church of Christ where he served as an elder for 20 years. He was also a charter member of the Lake Jackson Lions Club. He was a supporter of the Boy Scouts of America and was a director of the Youth Employment Organization. He was an avid grower of flowers in Lake Jackson and Fredericksburg, attended church services, served in the PTA activities, paid his bills on time and had time for his children and grandchildren. Mr. Schmidt received his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from the University of Texas in 1941 and had a 41 year career as a Research and Development Chemist/Chemical Engineer with Dow Chemical in Freeport, TX, retiring in 1982. He was a member of the American Chemical Society for 62 years. Funeral services will be held Saturday, July 5, 2008 at 2 p.m. at the Golden Funeral Home in Bastrop, LA with David Ingram Burkett, of the Forsythe Avenue Church of Christ, officiating together with his son, Rodney Schmidt, MD. Interment follows at the Ingram Family Cemetery, Horseshoe Lake Road, Mer Rouge, LA. Prior to the above services, visitation will be held at Golden Funeral Home in Bastrop, LA on July 4, 2008, 5-7 p.m. The family will thereafter receive guests at their home in Mer Rouge. Pallbearers are William Hayden, Jerry Clack, Billie Davenport, Tommy Rankin, Rev. Charlie McLain and Nelson Jones. Honorary pallbearer is Hayward Clack. The family requests that, for those desiring, memorial contributions be made to the Heart Foundation, Diabetes Foundation, the Youth Ministry at the Church of Christ, Fredericksburg, TX, or a charity of your choice.