Gary D. Schmidt
1939 — 2015
Gary D. Schmidt, 76 years, of Fremont, Nebraska died Friday, November 27, 2015 at Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. Gary was born August 31, 1939 at Spencer, Nebraska to John and Phyllis (Woidneck) Schmidt.
Gary was raised at Spencer and was a 1957 graduate of Spencer High School. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wayne State College in Wayne, Nebraska and a Master’s and six-year degree in Educational Administration from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, Nebraska.
Gary married Carol Weed on January 28, 1961 at Ainsworth, Nebraska. He taught school and coached at St. Boniface which consolidated and became Pope John XXIII Catholic High School from 1963 to 1970. In 1970 he came to Fremont and became the first lay principal of Archbishop Bergan Catholic Schools and also coached there. Three years later he became the sole administrator at the high school.
After the elementary school closed, he became superintendent and remained in that position for thirty years and then became officer of the Development Department for the school and church. He retired in 2013 after 43 years of serving the church and school system. Gary was passionate in serving the Lord and dedicated his life to religious education. His greatest job was seeing his students grow in faith and realize their dreams. He valued his family and friends and gave selflessly to all he believed in. He was a member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus Council #1497 of Fremont, Fremont Optimist Club and UNL Alumni Association. He was very involved in many Fremont organizations and civic groups.
He is survived by his wife, Carol of Fremont; son, Greg (Anne) Schmidt of Fremont; daughters, Deb Kerwin of Bennington, Nebraska, Michelle (Darryl) Peitzmeier of Elkhorn, Nebraska and Theresa (Lt. Col. Robert) Lopez of Colorado Springs, Colorado; sisters, Diane (Bernard) Kluthe of Elgin, Nebraska and Kathy Tonner of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; ten grandchildren and three great grandchildren and foreign exchange son, Jun Nakaboyashi and his wife and son of New York, New York.
He was preceded in death by his parents; son, Rick Schmidt, brother-in-law, Gordon Tonner and son-in-law, Jeff Kerwin.
Funeral Mass will be 10 a.m., Wednesday, December 2 (today) at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Fremont. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service on Wednesday.
Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery in Fremont.
Memorials may be directed to Archbishop Bergan Catholic Schools, St. Patrick’s Catholic Church or Bergan Booster Club.
Condolences may be sent to Carol Schmidt at 118 S. William, Fremont, NE 68025. Online condolences may be left at www.mosermemorialchapels.com
Arrangements by Moser Memorial Chapel, 2170 N. Somers Avenue, Fremont, NE 68025 402-721-4490
