Francis Walter Schmidt

Francis Walter Schmidt, age 90, of Longmont, Colorado passed away peacefully on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. Francis, fondly known as Franny, was born in the little farming town of Schoenchen, Kansas on February 4, 1935. He was the 12th child of a family of thirteen that were born to Alex and Josephine (Werth) Schmidt. He is the final member of his family to leave this earthly journey.

He was a proud member of the Knights of Columbus for 69 years and a member of St John the Baptist Catholic Church. Faith and family were at the center of his long life. He was known as the family fisherman and hunter. Every weekend you could find him in the mountains at a lake unless it was elk season. He was well known for tying hundreds of fishing flies, which he later used those same skills to make hundreds of rosaries that are now all over the country.

On May 18, 1955, he married Rosaline Geist in Victoria, Kansas. The two moved to Denver that year and raised their four children. They were married for 43 years. He was affectionately known as "Smiley" to his coworkers at Gates Rubber Company, where he worked for 30 years. He retired at age 57 to take care of his wife, Rosaline until her death in 1998. They moved to Longmont at that time as well. He will be laid to rest with her in St Fidelis Cemetery in Victoria.

He was fortunate enough to find love again with a long-time family friend, Anna Marie Williams, and married her on January 30, 1999. She taught him how to really appreciate life. They went traveling, ate things out of his comfort zone and really enjoyed their later years. They were married for 20 years when she passed away June 19, 2019. The family is forever grateful to her and her family.

Besides his wives, Franny is preceded in death by his son, Kevin, his siblings, Erma, Rose, Ed, Barb, Bertha, John, Aloysius, Walter, Josephine, Delores, Melvin, Irvin and their spouses.

He is survived by his blended family, Glen (Lisa) Schmidt, his daughters Regina (Justin) Wiesnewski, Jennifer Madril; Diann Gallawa, her son Sylvan (finacee Audrey Goettl), daughters Emanuella and Helena Gallawa; Renee (Kevin )Bast, her son Kyle (Eden) and daughter Adrienne Bast; Chuck (Kelli) Williams, his son Michael (Megan) Williams, daughter Sarah Williams; Marty Williams, his daughter Mandy, son Joseph (Sophia) Williams; daughter, Shelly Williams, her daughters Amy and Dearia VerKamp, plus great-grandchildren, Nicholas, Eugene, Connor, Olivia, and Levi and many nieces and nephews.

Special thanks to his nurse Jeanie Parker for her gentle care in his last weeks, to his stepdaughter, Shelly who tenderly guided his care over the last years and his neighbor Abel Rivera and who helped our dad in uncountable ways.

A visitation for Francis will be held Thursday, June 19, 2025 from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Howe Mortuary Chapel, 439 Coffman Street, Longmont, Colorado 80501. Rosary prayers will take place at 5:30 PM. A funeral mass will occur Friday, June 20, 2025 at 10:30 AM at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, 323 Collyer Street, Longmont, Colorado 80501. A reception will follow at 11:30 AM at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church Benedict Hall.

Services are entrusted to Howe Mortuary & Crematory of Longmont, Colorado.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.howemortuary.com for the Schmidt family.