Tuesday, December 24th, 2013
Douglas Schmidt
Douglas L. Schmidt, 75, Celina, died at 3:05 p.m. Dec. 23, 2013, at his residence, following an extended illness.
He was born Jan. 4, 1938, in Celina, to Chester and Marie (Hatfield) Schmidt. He married Joyce Heppeard on Sept. 26, 1998, and she survives.
He is survived by four children, Robin (Mark) Freer, St. Marys, Kriss (Lisa) Schmidt, Middletown, Erinn (Jim) Eshleman, St. Marys, and Gregg (Amy) Eshleman, St. Marys; seven stepchildren, Bryan (Shelly) Wheeler, St. Marys, Shelly (John) Maxwell, St. Marys, Charles (Vanessa) Friday, Dayton, Chris Friday, Celina, Melissa (Mark) Lewis, Cincinnati, Melinda Friday, Rochester, New York, and Nathaniel Friday, Celina; 19 grandchildren; 3 great-grandchildren; a sister, Doris (Allen) Morrow, Kokomo, Ind.; and many nieces and nephews.
He was also preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Susan Slagle Schmidt, and a brother-in-law, Ron Williams.
He was a 1956 graduate of Celina High School. He served in the U.S. Army and graduated from Fort Wayne Business College. He was the vice president of finance and treasurer of the St. Marys Foundry. He later worked at Select Motors. He was a member of the First Church of the Nazarene in St. Marys, where he had served as treasurer of the church and served in the choir and bell choir. He formerly belonged to the Wayne Street United Methodist Church. He had been an avid bike rider and had ridden in the Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure numerous times. He enjoyed traveling and studying genealogy.
Funeral rites will be 11 a.m. Saturday at the First Church of the Nazarene, St. Marys, the Rev. Tim Smith officiating. Burial with military honors will follow at Elm Grove Cemetery.
Calling is 3-8 p.m. Friday at Miller Funeral Home West Chapel, St. Marys, where memorial gifts may be given to the First Church of the Nazarene or State of the Heart Hospice.
Condolences may be sent to Millerfuneralhomes.net.
