Dr. Arthur Earl Schmidt Jr.

Arthur Earl Schmidt, Jr. born 1-1-1923 to Elsa Kallmeyer and Arthur E. Schmidt in St. Louis, Missouri. Early in life he set on his tricycle and watched fans stream by after baseball games at Sportsman Park. At the age of 4 Art and his brother Carl moved to University City and lived with his grandparents and aunt as well as his father, as his mother died when he was 3 years old.

Art attended Flynn Park School through the 6th grade being active in all sports as well as playing the violin in the orchestra. His father remarried and the family moved to Ferguson, Missouri. He graduated from Ferguson High School in 1940 lettering in track and wrestling. He was active on the debate team, in the orchestra and was in various plays.

Art attended Washington University studying pre-med. With the advent of World War II, he joined the Army Reserves. He was accepted to and started medical school in April, 1943. He was called to active duty in July, 1943 and served until he graduated from medical school in March, 1946. He interned at Presbyterian Rush Hospital in Chicago until July, 1947. He married Norma Jean Saggau and was called back to active duty in the Army, serving in Korea until 1949 and then Japan until May, 1950. Art had a residency for one year at St. Louis County Hospital and two years back at Presbyterian in Chicago before coming to Oklahoma City for a Fellowship in Cardiology for a year. He spent two years setting up and was in charge of the medical service inside Griffin Mental Hospital in Norman, Oklahoma. After this, he entered private practice in Internal Medicine originally at Mercy, St. Anthony and Wesley Hospitals. Art was an original member of the Medical Staff at Baptist Hospital starting in 1954. In 1967 he moved from the downtown area to the Baptist area where he practiced at Baptist and Deaconess Hospitals until his retirement in 1994.

Art was active in the County and State Medical Societies serving on various committees and as a director of the County Medical Society. He was one of the founding members of the Oklahoma Peer Review Society serving on its Board of Directors. He was active in the College of Physicians, the American College of Chest Physicians, American College of Cardiology and American Society of Internal Medicine serving on several committees and as president of the Oklahoma Society of Internal Medicine. He was very active in teaching at St. Anthony, Mercy and Baptist Hospitals and taught medical students for years and was a full professor of medicine at his retirement. Since then, he has remained active in the teaching programs. He participated in many medical missionary trips to Mexico and Central America.

Art was a founding member of Quail Creek Golf & Country Club. He was an avid golfer and loved snow skiing. He and Joane were fond of dancing and belonged to the Mayfair and Revelers dance clubs and the Young Men’s Club. He loved to Polka at every dance. He was an active member of Chapel Hill United Methodist Church and frequently taught Sunday School on Memorial Day and the Fourth of July.

Art is survived by his loving wife of 36 years, Joane, whom he married in 1980, his children Eric Schmidt and wife Cindy, grandson Matthew Schmidt, daughter Christine Bitsche and husband Ray, grandson Michael Bitsche and wife Jenny, great granddaughters Brooke and Blakeleigh Bitsche, granddaughter Melissa Bitsche Lord and husband Joe, great grandsons Charlie and Tommy Lord, son Arthur Earl Schmidt III and wife Deanne, grandchildren Danielle Little and James Spencer, and daughter Cindy Mellon and husband Rick, granddaughter Kelli Mellon, deceased. He is also survived by his stepdaughter, Linda Dixon, granddaughter Elizabeth Dixon Barras and husband Pete, great grandsons Jack, James and John Barras, grandson Jeff Dixon and wife Jessica, great grandchildren Braiden and Brielle Dixon, stepdaughter Leslie Woolery, grandson John Kaserman and wife Michelle, great grandchildren Caroline, Ryan and June Kaserman, grandson Scott Kaserman and wife Danielle, great granddaughter Isabella Kaserman, and stepdaughter Lori Byrd and husband Tommy, granddaughter Emily Byrd Brewer and husband Austin and grandson James Byrd.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the chairty of your choice.

A celebration of Art’s life will be 1 p.m., Friday, August 12th at Chapel Hill United Methodist Church with a reception following.

Arrangements under the direction of Hahn-Cook/Street & Draper Funeral Directors, Oklahoma City, OK.