Gerald Adrian Schmidt

Our beloved Gary passed away peacefully in the early morning hours of Thursday, September 14, 2017 surrounded by family. He succumbed to an illness he had struggled with for several years. Gary was born in a small house in the town of Potlatch, Idaho on November 17, 1934. He was the third of four children born to John Henry and Leah Rozella (Reed) Schmidt. The Schmidt family moved to Spokane in 1945. Gary attended St. Aloysius Grade School and Gonzaga Prep before transferring to North Central High School, graduating in 1952. He worked for JJ Newberry’s creating window displays for their store in downtown Spokane and then as Display Director for Baldwin Signs and Displays. He married Nancy Lou Flannigan on August 21, 1954. Gary joined the Spokane Fire Department on January 12, 1959. During his time with the Department, he worked as a firefighter out of several of the city’s fire stations. He enjoyed moving among the different stations because he liked meeting new people and made many friends. In the middle of his career, he also worked as an Alarm Room Operator. He also edited and printed an SFD newsletter called the Smoke Eater which he produced at home. Gary’s wife Nancy died unexpectedly in June of 1968. In May of 1969, Gary married Karen Esther Valsvig. Gary retired from the Fire Department on February 28, 1985 after 26 years of service. During his retirement, Gary served as President of a local Retired Firefighters Association, and met with several firefighters weekly for coffee up until a few weeks before he died. Gary enjoyed being in the great outdoors and loved both fishing and camping. His father had staked a mining claim in1924 in a forest near Potlatch, Idaho. He and his father spent many years working the claim and building a cabin that became the place for the family to gather in the ensuing years. After he retired, Gary and Karen also joined a camping group and spent several years camping all over the region. When he was a boy, Gary’s mother had him accompany her every Memorial Day to all of the cemeteries in the region to honor friends and family who had come before – a tradition he continued through this year, visiting over one hundred graves in more than a dozen cemeteries. His children will continue the tradition. Gary was preceded in death by his parents John and Leah, brothers Jack and Vince, his first wife, Nancy and a great grandson, Darin. He is survived by his wife of 48 years Karen, his children Rick, Jessie, Jim, Greg, Brook, and Chris, fifteen grandchildren, sixteen great-grandchildren, five great-great grandchildren and his sister, Teresa Underwood. The family would like to extend heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the kind folks at Horizon Hospice and the staff at Royal Park Retirement Center. There will be a private graveside service for family members at 1:30pm on his birthday, Friday, November 17, 2017 at Holy Cross Cemetery. At 3pm there will be a celebration of Gary’s life at the Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie #2 at 6410 N. Lidgerwood in Spokane. Ball & Dodd Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements. The family invites you to share a personal memory at www.ballanddodd.com.