Robert “Bob” Schmidt

Robert “Bob” Schmidt passed away at home in Manchester, Vermont in the loving arms of his wife on October 11, 2023. He was born in Nuremburg, Germany on February 21, 1931. He apprenticed as a cabinet maker in Germany and when he was 18 years old he was sponsored by his aunt, Gunda (Schmidt) Schatz, to come to the U.S. He worked with his uncle, Robert Schatz, building homes. It was through their friends that he met the love of his life, Barbara Breitenbach. They were married on October 3, 1952 and shortly thereafter he was drafted and served in the Korean War. He was assigned to the Army Corps of Engineers and achieved the rank of Sargeant before his honorable discharge in 1954. Bob and Barbara lived in Mt Vernon, NY for a few years before moving to Yonkers, NY, where they lived for over 30 years and raised their daughters, Karen and Heidi. He worked for many years at The Schultz Company in New York City where he began as a carpenter and ended his career as Plant Manager. Bob loved cabinet making and much of his spare time was spent in his shop making lovely things for everyone in the family. He was the first to arrive with all of his tools if anyone in the family had a building project to do, and always made us get us up early and work long after dark! Bob and the family spent many happy weekends and vacations at Camp Elsinore in Berkeley Heights NJ, a German sport club, where they met many of their lifelong friends. He loved to ski and the family has many wonderful memories of spending winter weekends in Vermont…getting to the mountain before the lifts opened to be the first up to the top, and rushing at the end of the day to get the last ride up the lift to get the last run in. Bob retired to Manchester, Vermont in 1992 and shortly thereafter his friendship with Bob Sherman of Vermont Store Fixtures, found him working there for a few more years. Bob was a devoted husband and father. He was pre-deceased by his brother Fritz Schmidt of Hastings, NY and his sister Liesl Frohlich (Schmidt) of Nuremburg, Germany. He is survived by his wife Barbara, his two daughters Karen Ryan (Jim) and Heidi Wardwell (Harry), his sister Margot Simon of Berngau, Germany, his three nephews Bernd Simon of Berngau, Germany, Guido Frohlich of Nuremberg, Germany, and Tom Schmidt of Big Bear Lake, California, and his niece Lisa Thomas (Schmidt), his 6 grandchildren, Jaime Ryan DeLuca, Kate Ryan Frates, Tom Ryan, Tricia Wardwell Longo, Lauren Wardwell and Robert Wardwell, and 6 great-grandchildren, Ryan DeLuca, Avery DeLuca, Noa DeLuca, Taylor DeLuca, Jackson Wardwell and Lucy Wardwell. The immediate family will gather privately to celebrate his life. To send the family online condolences, please visit www.sheafuneralhomes.com