Phyllis A Schmidt

Born in New Rochelle, N.Y on November 20, 1928, her family later moved to Highland Park, N.J. A graduate of Highland Park High School, she attended the Art Career School of N.Y.C. to study art and graphic design. Phyllis married Kenneth T. Schmidt and several years and 4 children later, the family moved from Highland Park to Paulinskill Lake, Stillwater, N.J. in 1960. She taught art a few years at the Stillwater School, and then continued her college studies at William Paterson University in Wayne N.J. where she received a BA in Art Education. In 1975 she joined the staff of Kittatinny Regional High School as an art teacher and in 1996 retired from teaching.

For years she had the opportunity of serving the Yellow Frame Presbyterian Church as a Youth Group leader alongside her beloved husband Kenneth, also as a Ruling Elder and choir member. As a volunteer she was a trustee of the Paulinskill Lake Association and the Sussex County Arts and Heritage Council. Never idle, Phyllis continued to pursue her art. She painted watercolors, showed her work in numerous art exhibitions, sang with the Sussex County Oratorio Society, was Co-Chairman of the Evening Membership Dept. of Newton and Vice President of the Women’s Club of Newton. Phyllis taught art to Bristol Glen’s senior residents and organized art shows to display their work. Her favorite hobbies included singing, traveling, painting, dancing, reading, gardening, tennis and ping pong, entertaining and playing bridge with her friends. She loved the theatre and classical music, art museums and nature. She was the embodiment of the French expression `joie de vivre´, the exuberant enjoyment of life.

The daughter of the late John M. Hazen and Ruth (Zerfing) Hazen, Phyllis Schmidt is survived by her four children; Christine A. Bray and husband Spencer Bray of St. Petersburg, FL., Susan L . Schmidt and her husband Gerard Gremion, Mexico City, Mexico, Philip T. Schmidt and his wife Janice L. Schmidt of Vernon, N.J., Karen A. Hoyle of Carlsbad, CA., eight grandchildren and four great grandchildren, one niece and one nephew in WI., a nephew in NJ and a nephew in DE.

A Memorial service will be held in the Spring of 2022, on Saturday May 21st, at 11.00 a.m. at the Yellow Frame Presbyterian Church in Fredon Township, N.J. Phyllis loved that time of the year

and the family wants to honor her and celebrate her life when the flowers begin to bloom. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to the Yellow Frame Presbyterian Church Building Fund, 1 Yellow Frame Road,

Newton, N.J. 07860 or to the Bristol Glen Fellowship Fund, 200 Bristol Glen Drive, Newton, N.J., 07860. Funeral arrangements are by Smith-McCracken Funeral Home, 63 High St., Newton, N.J.

Online condolences may be offered at www.smithmccracken-funeralhome.com