Donald "DON" E. Schmidt

Graveside services will be held at 11:00am on Thursday August 9, 2012 at Clovis Memorial Cemetery.

Don was born in Reedley, California on January 30, 1942 to Luella and Otto Schmidt and graduated from Immanuel High School. He was married to Patricia “Patty” Patterson on February 16, 1963. They were married for 42 years until her passing on August 3, 2005.

Don worked in several different industries over the years but for the last 15 years or so he was employed by Rackwide. He was a huge sports fan especially loving the Fresno State Bulldogs, Los Angeles Dodgers, and the St. Louis Rams. Don loved to talk to people and had an incredible love for helping others. He got the most joy from being anywhere that people recognized him and would sit down and talk with him.

Don is survived by his two children, Lynn Carlson, Jeff Schmidt and his wife Ronda; his 5 grandsons Ryan Watt, Cameron Schmidt, Kyle Schmidt, Matthew Carlson, and Zachary Carlson; his brothers Jim Schmidt and wife Sharon of Manteca and Randy Schmidt and wife Margie of Pleasanton. Don also has many nieces and nephews and more friends than can be counted.

Don is preceded in death by his parents, Luella and Otto Schmidt, brother Alan Schmidt, sister Diane Ferreira, and loving wife Patricia “Patty” Schmidt.

The family would like to thank the doctors and nurses of the cardiac intensive care unit at Saint Agnes Hospital, especially Dr. Ashraf I. Osman for his exceptional care.