John Frederick Schmidt Sr.

John Frederick Schmidt, Sr., 83, passed away on March 1, 2025. John was a dedicated husband, father, and grandfather. He treasured his family, provided for them, and fought for them. Leaving New York at 18, he enlisted in the U.S. Marines, eventually being stationed in Memphis, TN where he met the love of his life, Carol Jane. John adored going to New Orleans with his wife and taking the family to Disney World. He also loved watching the Memphis State Tigers, going to family reunions at his wife’s hometown farm, and attending his kids’ and grandkids’ school functions. To those that knew him, he was generous, witty, and poetic, always coming up with light-hearted poems to fit any occasion.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Carol Jane, a retired FBI supervisor, his parents, Frederick, a WWII veteran and Lillian Schmidt, his sister Mani, a nurse, and his brother Robert, a Vietnam veteran.

John is survived by his daughter Carol Anne Krock (Brian); his sons, John Schmidt, Jr. and Patrick Rhodes (Julia); grandchildren, Samantha Schmidt, John Schmidt III, Rebekka Schmidt, Erika Schmidt, Sydney Krock, Benjamin Krock, Niklas Hayes (Christina); and the mother of his grandchildren, Teresa Schmidt.

Memorials may be made to Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation.

The family will receive friends from 9:00 am to 10:00am on Saturday, March 8 at Memphis Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens, 3700 Germantown Rd, Bartlett, TN 38133. A celebration of John’s life will follow at 10:00am.