My father wore many hats and several at a time. He built three of our homes I grew up in by himself and they are all standing today! He always cared about respectability and honesty and passed that on to his children. We often joke about something we call "The Schied Work Ethic," which basically consists of hard work and always doing your best, this is his legacy that all his grandchildren have now. All of us have a sense of humor, which he inherited from his mother Edith. My sister Deb recalls the years he was a minister in New York at a small Parish called Rock City Falls UMC. Dad started a youth group and it quickly grew in popularity with all denominations. Our MYF took several fun trips including Lake Placid, N.Y. and to New York City. Dad always had a vegetable garden and from the time I was a tiny kid, I can remember him growing potatoes, carrots and squash...his favorites! He loved animals and let us have horses and dogs and even an occasional cat. Again, his love for animals has been passed on to his children and grandchildren. Dad also loved his down time and we had wonderful family vacations. I had a wonderful and very close relationship with my father and will miss my special "Birthday story," which he tells me every year. The one that goes into detail of the nurse handing me to him first and how he rocked me in the chair and he was the first one to change my diaper, lol!! I am lucky I had the world's greatest father and the best parts of me came from him!
I (Anna) met Will for the first time at the Salvation Army. He was the Social Service Director. He had decided to move from the cold north to the warm south, that's where he found a new ministry in St. Petersburg at The Salvation Army. Will helped many needy people by handing out bags of food, clothing and good advice. During this time, I was also working with the Salvation Army directing the Children and Senior Community Center. The two of us met at a weekly staff meeting and became fast friends. And after thirty-seven years of marriage, he is the love of my life and life long friends.
After many years of social work, he longed to return to the pulpit. Will's first assignment was with Asbury UMC in New Port Richey. Thereafter, Will spent many wonderful years at Anona UMC, mainly serving seniors of the congregation. We had many happy memories traveling with the seniors to places like Lake Junaluska, NC, the Mississippi Queen and the Delta Queen on the Great Mississippi River. During the cruise Will met Art Linkletter and became wonderful friends. Also, during Will's time at Anona he became friends with Burt Dodson. Burt was the bass player for famous Gene Autry who he kindly introduced Will to.
Will later served at Oakhurst UMC, and his final assignment was at Spring Hill UMC in Hernando County, where he retired in 2001. In the past sixteen years of retirement, we have had many happy years traveling and visiting with our family.
Will was blessed with four children and inherited three more children through our marriage, whom he loved dearly and was extremely proud. He enjoyed sitting and talking with everyone; laughing, joking and giving great advice. Will was always available to us and willing to lend a helping hand in any way possible.
Arrangements were made under the direction of Garden Sanctuary Funeral Home, 7950 131st Street N., Seminole, Florida 33776/727-391-0121.
