William J. Schmidt, II was born May 5, 1927 in Lakewood, Ohio to William J. and Hilda E. Schmidt. The family relocated to Indianapolis, Indiana in 1943 where he attended and later graduated from Shortridge High School. He enlisted in The U. S. Navy in 1945 where he served in the Pacific Theater of operation, earning the rank of Signalman 3rd Class and was honorably discharged. He was married in 1948 to his high school sweetheart, Mary Barbara Sloan. Mr. Schmidt was active his whole life in the various businesses of banking, construction and real estate sales, management, and appraising. He organized and was the first president of First Federal Savings and Loan in Brownsburg and served as president of two savings and loan associations, leaving that industry in 1975 to devote full time to real estate. He was active in the Hendricks County Board of Realtors®, serving twice as its president and was named Realtor® of the Year and receive the board's Distinguished Service Award.
His leadership abilities were often recognized in that he always rose to positions of responsibility. He was elected State Treasurer of the Indiana Junior Chamber of Commerce in 1957. He served twenty-five years on the board of Lutheran Child and Family Services or Indiana/Kentucky, was a member of the Shaw-Burkhardt-Brenner Foundation board and served several terms as the director of the Greater Brownsburg Chamber of Commerce as well as the Brownsburg PTA. He was a former president of the Brownsburg Optimist Club and was a charter/life member and past president of the Brownsburg Kiwanis Club. He was also elected as Distinguished Lt. Governor for the Indiana District of Kiwanis and past Kiwanian of the Year. Mr. Schmidt was a charter member and life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6128 and served several terms as Commander. He was also a life member of American Legion Post 331 and a charter member of the Hendricks County Honor Guard.
In his free time, he enjoyed bowling, crossword puzzles and golf. He was preceded in death by his wife of sixty-six years, a son, Dr. Daniel Fredric Schmidt, a sister, Rita Lorraine Robbins, and is survived by his son Michael Andrew - wife Tammy, children Abigail, Hayley and Liam, and Kathryn Ellen Waggoner - husband Michael, children Danielle Wyatt (Dillon), Joseph and Rachel, and nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be from 10:30am to 12 noon at Matthews Mortuary, Brownsburg, with funeral services at 12 noon. In lieu of flowers, gifts to the Dr. Daniel F. Schmidt Memorial Scholarship Fund and Foundation at the University of Maine at Presque Isle, 181 Main St., Presque Isle, ME 04769 at https://www.fastweb.com/college-scholarships/scholarships/87027-daniel-schmidt-scholarship .edu