Denise Schmidt

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of beloved mother, wife, sister, grandmother, and aunt, Denise Schmidt (née Winegar), on September 10, 2026 in her family home in Colonia, New Jersey. She was 72 years old.

Denise was born in Elizabeth, NJ on July 31, 1954. As the youngest daughter of the late Harry and Muriel Winegar, she grew up in Elizabeth and attended Battin High School. Like many others with siblings, she spent most of her younger years laughing and bickering with her sister, Cheryl, and her brothers, Harry and Glenn.

Denise grew to be known for her gentle loyalty, witty sense of humor, and nurturing demeanor. She was always laughing, even on her hardest days, and had a natural ability to make everyone around her feel seen, supported, and loved.

She developed a passion for live music in her early life, which was only fortified by going to see Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and The Who at Woodstock in 1969 at the age of 15. That passion continued to grow throughout her life, where she could often be found enjoying the records of artists like Jimmy Buffet, Styx, the Eagles, the B-52s, Queen, The Beach Boys, and her favorite band: the Beatles.

After attending Union County College, she spent 27+ years of her career as a dental assistant for Dr. Van Stevens in Mountainside, NJ, where she met coworkers that became family and built a lasting camaraderie with her patients. Following Dr. Stevens’ retirement in 2015, Denise brought that same warmth to dental offices in Edison and Avenel, through to her own retirement in 2025.

In addition to music and dentistry, she loved spending time with her friends and family, indulging in red wine or a well-poured pint of Guinness, enthusiastic game nights, socializing in local bowling leagues, rewatching Antonio Banderas in The Mask of Zorro, dumping out the can of soda you just opened to clear the table, and anything with Diane Keaton in it. To know her and to love her was to also understand that Denise was an avid reader - a trait she undeniably picked up from her late mother, Muriel.

Most of all, Denise loved her family. She cherished every moment she got to spend with them and never missed a sporting event, graduation, or birthday. She loved hosting loved ones for the holidays each year, starting her own family traditions, and spoiling her grandchildren (and children) with thoughtful gifts or handwritten notes. She especially loved family vacations to the Jersey Shore or the Outer Banks, NC, which she took great joy in planning every year. She was happiest when reading a book by the ocean, listening to the waves crash on the shore.

Her warmth, kindness, and unwavering love will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

Denise was predeceased by her eldest daughter, Jennifer Rebelo, in 2023, and her older sister, Cheryl Smith, in 2018 - both losses she carried with a heavy heart.

She is survived by her husband, Richard Schmidt of Colonia, NJ; her daughters, Wendy Dabrowski of Rahway, NJ and Rebecca Schmidt of Brooklyn, NY; her brothers, Harry Winegar of Sparta, NJ and Glenn Winegar of Metuchen, NJ; her grandchildren, Alex, Olivia, and Sophia Rebelo of Colonia, NJ; three nieces; four nephews; and her beloved Siamese cat, Bella.

In celebration of Denise’s life, a memorial will be held from 4PM to 8PM on Friday, September 18th at Krowicki McCracken Funeral Home in Linden, NJ.

Flowers are welcome. Donations may also be made in Denise's name to the Alzheimer's Association in support of continued research into Alzheimer's and dementia.