Carol Jean Schmidt

Carol Jean Jones was born on July 1, 1944, in Toppenish, Washington, to Jack and Jeanetta Jones. She passed away at age 81 on November 20, 2025 at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. She met her husband, Ronald Schmidt, during a winter snowstorm in Glasgow, Montana in December 1959. They were married on February 1, 1964 and celebrated over 61 years of marriage.

Together, they had four children and Carol devoted the first 20 years of marriage to caring for her children in the home she and Ron built in Seabeck.

During that time, she volunteered in local schools, with the lactation league, and spent many hours cooking for friends and family. As her kids grew, she began her civil service career at PSNS and Bangor, where she worked for the next 20 years. She and Ron went overseas to Naval Air Station Sigonella in Sicility, Italy for 3 years as an Accounting Officer. She retired from government service in 2002.

Carol’s main passion in life was and has always been her family, which grew significantly over the years. She especially loved cooking and hosting formal dinners and a variety of family events, including game nights, holidays, birthdays, and a variety of celebrations.

Even into her later years, Carol and Ron continued to host gatherings with the full family and countless friends as often as possible. She created many traditions her family will continue on in her memory, and her commitment to family has become a value shared by everyone she loved.

Carol is survived by her husband, Ron; her sister, Joyce Oliver and husband Steve; and her children, Sherry McKennon and husband Tim, Aaron Schmidt and wife Angie, Rachel Nelson and husband Dave, and Adrienne Cameron and husband Scott. Sherry has three children, Marissa, Amanda, and Tyler, and eight grandchildren. Aaron has two children, AJ and Johnny, and two grandchildren. Rachel has two children, Breanna and Joshua, and one grandchild, with three more on the way. Adrienne has four children, Gehrig, Jania, Makenna, and Kayla, and one grandchild.

The memorial service will be held on Friday, December 12th at 12 PM at Miller-Woodlawn Funeral Home in Bremerton followed by a reception onsite. In lieu of flowers, please send donations in Carol’s honor to the Parkinson’s Foundation.