Homer O. Schmidt

FEDERALSBURG - Homer O. Schmidt, 87, died at Genesis HealthCare-The Pines in Easton, on Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2007.

He was born Feb. 9, 1919, in Baltimore, the son of the late Fredrick Christian Schmidt and Margaret Linecooley Schmidt. His wife of 60 years, Louise Johannsen Schmidt died on April 10, 2003.

He lived in Buffalo, N.Y., until he was 11, when his family moved back to the shore. He was a graduate of Preston High School Class of 1935.

He volunteered to be one of the first six men called up for active duty in Caroline County in January of 1941. After preparing at Fort Sam Houston he applied for Officer Candidate School at Ft. Benning, Ga. He was soon promoted to captain and put in charge of plans, training and operations. In January of 1943, he married Louise Johannsen on the 11th day of a 13-day leave. He was assigned to the newly activated 2nd Battalion 417th Infantry Regiment of the 76th Division. His first battle was in the battle of the Bulge and he then moved to Luxemburg to prepare for the invasion of Germany. He was operations officer during the attack of the regiment into Germany.

He was awarded the Silver Star and Bronze Star and his regiment received the Presidential Unit Citation. He was wounded in the leg by machine gun fire in March of 1945, and was awarded the Purple Heart. After being evacuated to England he was separated from the service with the rank of Major one month short of 5 years of service.

After coming home he soon bought his own farm and in 1972, he bought the original Schmidt farm that his grandfather had bought in 1905. In 1990 he restored the farm house of the original Schmidt farm which was built in 1823. He was a grain and poultry farmer.

Mr. Schmidt became active in local politics and served as Caroline County Commissioner from 1962 to 1966. He has been an active member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Preston his entire life, where he served in every capacity including 33 years as a Sunday School teacher. He was a member of the Farm Bureau and Delmarva Poultry Industry.

He is survived by five children; Gail L. Whealton of Trappe, Helen M. Schmidt, John C. Schmidt and Deborah A. Cheezum and her husband, Lee, all of Preston and David H. Schmidt and his wife, Kathy of Federalsburg; seven grandchildren, Dorothy Thomason, Kara Erskine, Abby Schmidt, David A. Schmidt, Julie Schmidt Corey Schmidt and Rebecca Schmidt; four great-grandchildren, Jacob, Caleb and James Erskine and Dalton Thomason; a brother, Karl Schmidt of Diamond Spring, Calif., and a cousin, Jean Schmidt.

A son, Alan Schmidt preceded him in death in 1981.

Funeral services for him will be held at noon on today, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Preston with Pastor Walter G. Steele and Pastor Edwin Thress officiating. Friends may call at the church on Tuesday from 11 a.m. to noon.

The family has requested that donations be made in his memory to the Building Repair Fund, c/o Immanuel Lutheran Church P.O.B. 39 Preston, MD 21655.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Framptom Funeral Home, P.A., in Federalsburg.