Dee Ann Ransone Schmidt

Dee Schmidt of Fairfax, Virginia, died on Sunday, July 29, 2018, after a long battle with cancer. Born on May 21, 1940, to the late D.C. and Margaret Davis Ransone, Dee is survived by her brother, Dennis Ransone (Georgia) and her children, Eleanor Schmidt, Roderick Schmidt (Rose Stark), Bridget Schmidt Shepard (Shadow Danial McCarrell); grandchildren, Roderick Schmidt Jr., Jessica Thornton (Brad); great-grandson Harrison Thornton and Swedish son, Henrik Johansson (Martina). She was preceded in death by her beloved Airedale, Cassandra (Cassie) and survived by Liberty Violet Louise (Libby). Dee grew up, for the most part, in the Kansas City area. After attending college in Colorado, she and her husband started their family with the birth of a daughter, Ellie, following two years later with son Rick and later, daughter, Bridget. After moving to Fairfax City with her family in 1969, Dee immediately became involved with the community when she joined the George Mason Junior Women's Club. Dee served as president and in other leadership roles and received recognition for many of the club projects that she led. As members of junior women's clubs do, Dee transitioned to the Woman's Club of Fairfax where she continued her community service through club projects to include helping to coordinate the Fairfax City Bicentennial Ball to celebrate our nation's 200th birthday. As a representative of the Woman's Club of Fairfax, she was actively involved in establishing the Interservice Service Club Council in 1977. In recent years, she served in a number of Woman's Club leadership positions including president. She coordinated the establishment of the club website and Facebook presence and also served on the fundraising committee which has produced successful fashion shows in order to fund their scholarship program. Always keeping a watchful eye on Fairfax City happenings, Dee expanded her service to the community by getting involved in Fairfax City boards and commissions. Beginning with the Community Appearance Committee, She worked to increase the community focus on cleaning up the community and preventing litter while helping the City to establish the original recycling center on Pickett Road. It was during this time that the City received their first recognition from the Keep America Beautiful and Keep Virginia Beautiful organizations. She was then appointed to the City of Fairfax Planning Commission and served from 1976 through 1994. She served as chairman for many years and was quietly amused by the local paper depicting her as “Batman”, during the transition to televised Planning Commission meetings. Always keeping the greater good of the community at heart, the necessary needling of local politicians, with the goal of keeping them in line, was a service she provided, without public recognition or compensation, besides a bit of private pride (and sometimes, amusement). Some secrets go beyond the grave, but mysterious happenings in the City of Fairfax political lore may or may not have a connection to Dee Schmidt. She appreciated the art of tossing balls in the air and watching to see where they landed. Dee was a great community servant. In addition to all of the community service, she was always quite involved in volunteer activities relating to her three children. Among other things, she served as room mother, Girl Scout leader, Cub Scout Den Mother, and Fairfax Little League Snack Bar Coordinator while her children were in school. Planning and development were always a passion. In addition to her service on the City of Fairfax Planning Commission, Dee worked professionally in many aspects of the real estate development field. Beginning her career in the late 1970's, she was employed in the legal industry at local law firms in the area of commercial and residential real estate. After working for a commercial lending institution, she joined a real estate development company before ultimately retiring ten years ago. Her adventurous spirit never dulled and she found great joy in travel, especially to Europe and multiple visits to Christmas markets to hunt for treasure and to sample the warm, mulled wine. She enjoyed the theater and availed herself of the Washington DC offerings, whether it be an old-time classic like Camelot or a newer production of Kinky Boots or the Book of Mormon. Dee was a loving mother, grandmother and, great-grandmother. She always put family first and truly enjoyed big family gatherings. She could be hard to predict but was absolutely one of a kind and will be missed by her friends and family. Somehow she found the perfect balance of proper and irreverent and those who knew her well, knew that she carried that balance with dignity and grace to the end. Friends are invited to celebrate Dee’s life at visitations at Demaine Funeral Home (10565 Main Street, Fairfax, VA 22030), August 10, 2018, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. and August 11, 2018, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. A memorial service will be held on August 11, 2018, 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. There will be a brief, private, graveside service with family, followed by a reception at the Fairfax Volunteer Fire Station at 4081 University Drive, Fairfax, Virginia. Dee was a supporter of Inova Schar Cancer Institute and the Fairfax Volunteer Fire Department and would be pleased with contributions to those organizations. Inova Schar Cancer Institute - https://foundation.inova.org/cancer-donate Fairfax Volunteer Fire Department 4081 University Drive Fairfax, Va. 22030