Golda Jean Schmidt

Golda Jean Schmidt was born to David and Fay Gellman on June 12, 1923 in Austin, Texas. She died early in the morning of May 30, 2016, at her home in Austin surrounded by her cherished husband and daughters. She had endured failing health with characteristic courage and good humor. Her funeral will take place on Wednesday, June 1, at 11AM at the Cook Walden Funeral Home, 6100 North Lamar, Austin.

Goldie was simply elegance perfected. She was the consummate wife and mother to her family. Her devotion to her loved ones was resolute and inexhaustible. She will be dearly missed by many extended family members and friends of her children who considered her a second mother. Goldie is survived by Herman, her beloved spouse of what would have been 72 years of marriage on July 2, 2016. Their marriage was a remarkable expression of deep and enduring love. She is lovingly remembered by her three daughters: Babette Laibovitz and husband Robert of Austin; Cynthia Freedman of Minneapolis; and Debra Saxe and husband Karl of Atlanta. Goldie was adored by her grandchildren: Michael and Seren Laibovitz and the late David Laibovitz, Ariela and Yaron Freedman, Tamar Robinson and Lauryn Walker. Goldie is also survived by her nine great-grandchildren: Luke and Jake Laibovitz, Emma and Ava Laibovitz, Devora and Asher Laibovitz, Elena Freedman-Hall, and Noah and Elise Robinson.

Generous, intellectually curious, and unfailingly gracious, Goldie was a world traveler who, with Herman, took each daughter on the trip of her choice as an adult and every grandchild to Israel to commemorate their Bar and Bat Mitzvahs. Other travel destinations included Kenya, Ethiopia, India (to study native dancing in remote regions) and Antarctica. They collected samples of sand from most of the world’s great deserts and could knowledgeably advise about tailors in Hong Kong. Fervent interests included ballroom dancing (including contests), opera (the Met, Santa Fe, Verona, and Milan), and art collected on their travels around the world.

Goldie was a founding member of Austin’s Reach to Recovery for breast cancer patients. The Schmidts are members of Congregation Beth Shalom and Congregation Agudas Achim and were long-time members of Temple Beth Israel.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to the above congregations, the David Laibovitz Memorial Endowment Fund of Seton Community Healthcare Center, or to CASA of Travis County.

May her memory always be for a blessing.