Peter Frederick Schmidt

Captain Peter “Pete” Frederick Schmidt, 82, died unexpectedly but peacefully on October 31, 2021. Pete was born on February 3, 1939 in Southampton, New York, to Valentine August Schmidt and Frances Schultz Schmidt.

Pete graduated from Union College in 1960 with a degree in Industrial Administration. He joined the Air Force right after graduation where he became a decorated fighter pilot serving our great nation across the world. Through his decade in the Air Force he earned many medals and honors, including Top Gun status. He had a passion for flying and so, after his service, he spent 28 years as a Delta Airlines pilot.

Pete married Elizabeth Edwards, his high school sweetheart, in 1959. The couple had three children — Diane, William and John — but divorced in 1977.

Pete met Patricia Shryack Crenshaw through mutual friends, and they married in 1989. Their enduring love will be remembered as extraordinarily patient and complimentary. For many years, they split time between Chicago, Illinois and Marathon, Florida. Eventually, they made Kansas City their home but continued to spend winters in Marathon where Pete loved to fish on his boat The Peter Patter. Pete loved the beautiful summers in Kansas City where he could garden in his backyard and play golf and cards with friends.

Pete traveled his whole life and passed on his love of traveling to his children and grandchildren. Their trips included great food, live theatre, sporting events (especially the St. Louis Cardinals, New Orleans Saints and Kansas City Chiefs), historical tours and snow skiing. Though they grew up across the nation, he ensured his grandchildren developed deep and meaningful relationships with one another through these treasured experiences. His children and grandchildren remember him as an extremely intelligent, meticulous, resourceful, boisterous, and generous man with a wicked sense of humor who was steadfast in his beliefs and convictions, and as someone who always had an educational but entertaining story at the ready.

He was an active and dedicated member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, Elks Lodge, Airline Pilots Association and Delta Chi Fraternity and often volunteered for Meals on Wheels.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Valentine August Schmidt and Frances Schultz Schmidt, and Elizabeth Edwards, as well as his first child, Diane Elizabeth Schmidt Word, and his brother Ralph Schmidt all of Southampton.

Pete is survived by his wife Patricia Shryack Crenshaw and their cat Magic of Kansas City. He is also survived by his sister Beverly Ann Schmidt of Aquebogue, New York; his children, William Peter Schmidt and his wife Leslie Dickey Schmidt of Midlothian, TX, and John Christopher Schmidt and his wife Monica Holt Schmidt of Shreveport, LA; his grandchildren, Benjamin Michael Word and his wife Kara Cothren Word of Colorado Springs, CO, Kaitlin Ederington Schmidt of Houston, TX, John Christopher Schmidt Jr. of New Orleans, LA, Kimberly Schmidt Renfro and her husband Nathan Paul Renfro of Shreveport, LA, Michael Adam Schmidt and his wife Zoey Storey Schmidt of River Ridge, LA, Elizabeth Nicole Schmidt, Alexandra Delaney Schmidt and Andrew James Schmidt of Midlothian, TX.

The family will celebrate his life at our annual “Schmidtmas” celebration in December, in Midlothian, TX — a beloved tradition and Pete’s favorite time of year when his whole family comes together to catch up and play games of all kinds, but especially Acquire, which Pete won more often than not.

The family would like to thank the doctors and nurses at the North Kansas City Hospital and Hospice.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the American Heart Association or American Lung Association.