Howard Charles Schmidt

Howard was born on July 1, 1945 to Andrew and Eleanor Schmidt. He grew up in Mt. Angel, Oregon, a small Bavarian-inspired town settled back in the mid-1800’s by German-Catholic families and a group of Benedictine monks and sisters. Howard loved growing up in this small community. He attended the University of Portland, graduating with a B.S. degree in Accounting, and then decided to venture north to Seattle to work at a Freightliner dealership. Here he met the love of his life, Stephanie Powis, and they married on August 26, 1978. Howard and Stephanie lived in West Seattle for many years before moving to Peoria, Arizona. Soon after retiring, they moved back to their beloved Queen Anne Hill in Seattle until finally settling at BayView Retirement Community.

Howard was a passionate Mariner’s baseball fan and he rarely missed a game on TV or in-person. He attended games in Seattle and while living in Arizona, he often attended spring training games in Peoria. He was also an avid football fan of the Seattle Seahawks as well as college football, including the University of Washington and University of Oregon. Howard loved to prepare smoked delicacies using his Traeger Smoker, and he was a really good baker (he made a mean cheesecake).

Howard passed away just 6 months after the death of his beloved Stephanie. He was preceded in death by his parents and his two brothers, Ron and Cliff Schmidt. Howard had many dear friends, including Connie and Gretchen Eoff. His family members still live in Oregon, including his sister-in-law, Charleen Schmidt, as well as his three nieces, Alicia Kruska, Suzanne Konen, and Sandra Ketchum, and two nephews, Mark and Gregory Schmidt. In addition, Howard leaves behind many great nieces and nephews.

A special thanks to the caregivers at Bayview Retirement Community. A private service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Howard's memory to St. Margaret’s Catholic Church in Seattle.