Gustav Gus Schmidt age 95, of Livingston, NJ, passed away peacefully on Saturday July 24, 2021. A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at St. Philomena’s Church, 396 S. Livingston Avenue, Livingston, NJ on Thursday July 29, 2021 at 10 AM. The family will receive their friends at Quinn-Hopping Funeral Home, 145 E. Mt. Pleasant Ave. Livingston, NJ on Wednesday July 28, 2021 from 4-8 PM. On July 24, 2021 we lost a good man who used his strengths and abilities to teach children and prepare them for leadership opportunities in their future. An avid tennis player, biker, and cross country skier, he also enjoyed canoeing and sunfish sailing. He walked daily well into his 90s, believing that physical fitness was a key to a happy and healthy life. Gus loved talking with people and had a natural curiosity that kept him engaged with the world right up to the end of his life. He took great pride in his appearance, dressing as a gentleman to the end. Gus Schmidt died peacefully and was 95 1/2 years old. Born and raised in the Vailsburg section of Newark, Gus attended Ivy Street School and West Side High School. After graduation, he enlisted in the Army Air Force serving honorably from 1944 to 1946 during WWII. After being discharged, he attended and graduated from Montclair State University with a degree in education and taught History at Charlton Street School in Newark. After marriage to his perfect and loving wife, Jewel Menzie they had two children, Ronald and Barbara, and moved to Livingston. Attending Seton Hall University at night, Gus received a Master’s degree in Administration. During the summers of 1960 and 1961, Gus started and ran the Pioneer Trails Day Camp for the West Essex YMCA. The following 17 summers, he was Director of all children programs at the prestigious Lake Placid Club in Lake Placid, NY. It was here that he taught the importance of leadership to his counselors and campers. After teaching in Newark for 20 years, Gus served as an Administrator for 20 years at Lakeside Middle School in Pompton Lakes, NJ. It was here that he established and ran the Environmental Education Outdoor Program that was used as a model for other middle school programs at Fairview Lakes Y Camp in Newton, NJ. Volunteering was a very important focus in Gus’s life. It included Little League coach, Music Crafters, West Essex Y Indian Guide agent, and Senior Transportation driver. He also volunteered for over 50 years at the YMCA of the Oranges and served on the West Essex YMCA, Fairview Lake Camp, and Corporate Y Boards of Management. Gus was an avid fundraiser for the West Essex Y building and for St. Philomena’s Catholic Church, both in Livingston, NJ. Travel became a big part of his retired life seeing Europe, China, Canada, Mexico, Israel and touring all 50 capitals of the United States of America with his favorite travelling companion, Jewel who pre-deceased him in 2012 after 62 years of marriage. Gus was a wonderful husband and strong role model for his family. He is remembered fondly for a variety of fun loving activities. He is survived by his daughter Barbara Schmidt-Kemp, son Ronald Schmidt, son-in-law Christopher Kemp, daughter-in-law Millie St. John-Schmidt, grand-daughters Pamela Kemp, Meghan Kemp Nocito, (Nick Nocito) Katherine Schmidt, Jessica La Fave (Chris La Fave), Amy St. John and great-grandsons K’ay St. John and Hudson Hart. In lieu of flowers, the family donations in his memory may be made to West Essex YMCA, 321 S. Livingston Avenue, Livingston, NJ 07039.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18