On July 17th 2005, Frank Peter Schmidt, Sr. passed away peacefully at the age of 96 in Solomons, Maryland, after a short illness. He is survived by his three children, Tamara Segalla of Halifax, MA, Dr. Jennifer Schmidt of Avenue, MD, and Frank Schmidt, Jr. of Leominster, MA, and three grandchildren, Emily and Patrick Wilkinson of Avenue, MD and Peter Schmidt of Leominster, MA.
He was born in Stamford, CT on August 7, 1908 to Pauline Leeb Schmidt and Peter Carl Schmidt. He grew up in Connecticut and moved to New York City as a young man in the 1920’s to work as a lineman for Con Edison Electric Company. In the 1930’s, he moved to Northeast Carry, Maine, where he developed his great love for the outdoors, his knowledge of craftsmanship, and his self-taught construction skills with logs and wood.
He served in the U.S. Navy in World War II, where he was Head of Gunfire Control on the U.S.S Iowa from 1942 to 1945. He was inducted into the World War II Memorial in Washington D.C. in May, 2004.
In 1946, he moved to Denmark, Maine, where he constructed, during a twelve-year period, a magnificent log cabin on the shores of Sand Pond. He then began work at Camp Walden For Girls, where he worked as Head Of Construction and Maintenance for fifty-six years, and made it the popular and profitable summer camp that it is today. He retired from Camp Walden in 1989, at the age of 82.
Frank was married to Kathryn Merry Duty in February, 1963, and resided on Sebago Road in Denmark, Maine. They were married for twenty-seven years until Kathryn died in October, 1990.
Frank enjoyed woodworking, electronics repair, reading/book collecting, and spending time in his workshops at home. He had a wonderful sense of humor, quick wit, and was an old-fashioned romantic. He was a terrific storyteller and had an endless supply of anecdotes from his long life to keep any listener at full attention. He will be missed by his family and friends forever. Frank lived his life the way he wanted, and his life-lessons will never be forgotten by anyone who had the pleasure of knowing him. If life experiences are golden, then Frank Schmidt was the wealthiest man who ever lived.
He was born in Stamford, CT on August 7, 1908 to Pauline Leeb Schmidt and Peter Carl Schmidt. He grew up in Connecticut and moved to New York City as a young man in the 1920’s to work as a lineman for Con Edison Electric Company. In the 1930’s, he moved to Northeast Carry, Maine, where he developed his great love for the outdoors, his knowledge of craftsmanship, and his self-taught construction skills with logs and wood.
He served in the U.S. Navy in World War II, where he was Head of Gunfire Control on the U.S.S Iowa from 1942 to 1945. He was inducted into the World War II Memorial in Washington D.C. in May, 2004.
In 1946, he moved to Denmark, Maine, where he constructed, during a twelve-year period, a magnificent log cabin on the shores of Sand Pond. He then began work at Camp Walden For Girls, where he worked as Head Of Construction and Maintenance for fifty-six years, and made it the popular and profitable summer camp that it is today. He retired from Camp Walden in 1989, at the age of 82.
Frank was married to Kathryn Merry Duty in February, 1963, and resided on Sebago Road in Denmark, Maine. They were married for twenty-seven years until Kathryn died in October, 1990.
Frank enjoyed woodworking, electronics repair, reading/book collecting, and spending time in his workshops at home. He had a wonderful sense of humor, quick wit, and was an old-fashioned romantic. He was a terrific storyteller and had an endless supply of anecdotes from his long life to keep any listener at full attention. He will be missed by his family and friends forever. Frank lived his life the way he wanted, and his life-lessons will never be forgotten by anyone who had the pleasure of knowing him. If life experiences are golden, then Frank Schmidt was the wealthiest man who ever lived.
“A man should be allowed two lives: the first, to learn how, and the second, to do it the right way.”
– F.P.S., Sr.
There will be small private services held for Mr. Schmidt in Maine. Memorial contributions should be made to The Hermitage at St. John?s Creek, Solomons, MD 410-326-0070, the Denmark Maine Library 207-452-2200 or the Bridgton Maine United Ambulance Service 207-647-3260.
