FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Gerald “Jerry” Schmidt was born Oct. 19, 1940, on a farm near St. Helena. He was the second child of Henry and Cecilia Schmidt. Jerry died March 22, 2024. Visitation and Vigil service will be 6 p.m., April 3, at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Parish, Fort Collins. Memorial Mass will be held at 10 a.m., April 4, at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Parish, with reception to follow. Interment will be at Resthaven Memory Gardens at 11 a.m., April 5, in the Victory Garden, Fort Collins. Jerry attended Immaculate Conception Catholic School grade school, and two years at St. Helena Public High School, and finished his education at Yankton High School, graduating in 1958. He primarily worked on their family farm and had a few odd jobs until joining the United States Air Force. He served honorably in the Air Force for four years, with the majority of his time serving in Alaska. Jerry married Sharon Sudbeck Jan. 11, 1969, in Hartington, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church. They moved to Fort Collins shortly after their wedding and Jerry began working for the Fort Collins Street Department where he retired after 40 years.

Jerry loved farming and converted a large portion of their back yard into a vegetable garden. Each year his crop production was so plentiful he shared much of his produce with friends and neighbors, while still having enough for the family. Sharon commented they never purchased vegetables from the store. In addition, he loved farming so much that he spent many summer vacations back on his family farm helping with field work, as well as playing weekend farmer, helping friends on a nearby farm with their field work.

Jerry is survived by his wife, Sharon; daughter, Rhonda, and her husband, Brian; son, Robert; granddaughter, Brenna, and her husband, Jordan; granddaughter, Rianne; and 11 brothers and sisters, JoLean Wintz, Milford, Iowa; sister-in-law, Sandra Schmidt, Dakota City; Cletus Schmidt (Clara), St. Helena; Joyce Hans (Stanley), Wynot; Rose Rolfes (Ronald), Wynot; Jean Brodersen (Robert), South Sioux City; Diane Limoges, Fordyce; Judy Schmidt, Hartington; Larry Schmidt (Kathy), St. Helena; Cecilia Heimes (Mike), Fordyce; Keith Schmidt (Mary Jean), St. Helena; and Myron Schmidt (Jean), St. Helena.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Cecilia; brother, Vernon; Vernon’s son, Craig; and niece, Tiffany; and brothers-in-law, Leroy Wintz and Raymond Limoges.