Gary Wayne Schmidt

Gary Wayne Schmidt, age 75 passed away on March 1, 2022, at Hospice of the Valley in Surprise, AZ. Gary was born in Rock Island, IL to John C and Margaret Schmidt on August 19, 1946, and was raised by his Aunt and Uncle Harold and Dorothy Lyons, in Coal Valley, IL. He lived in Henderson, NV for 34 years, and recently moved to Arizona to be with his family.

He married Patricia Ann King Schmidt on April 9, 1966 in Abingdon, IL and shared 55 wonderful years of marriage as best friends. He was a wonderful husband, father, and papa to his family. His kindness, faith, teaching, sense of humor, and love for his family and life was like no other.

Gary was drafted into the Army in 1966, served as a Specialist in the Motor Pool. He proudly served in the Vietnam War, and was honorably discharged in 1968.

Gary, while living in Illinois until 1987, worked for John Deere Industrial Equipment, as a machinist, where he retired. In 1987 he moved to Henderson, NV where he was a Freight Supervisor at Freeman Expo, in Las Vegas, NV, in the Convention business for 30 years. He loved to meet people and made great friendships, before he retired.

Gary was a Christian man, in the Lutheran Church, where he was a Sunday Schools Teacher, Youth Group Leader, Usher, and Elder of the church.

Gary was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers Ron and Jack Schmidt, and his sister Beverly Bearman. He is survived by his wife Patricia, his brother Robert Schmidt, daughter Jodi Addesso, son and daughter in law Michael and Jennie Schmidt, 7 grandchildren Brittany and Emir Lopez, Nicholas Addesso and Andrea Florez, Arianna, Zachary, and Stefanie Schmidt, and 2 great granddaughters Scarlette and Karsyn Lopez.