Walter Ernst Schmidt

Walter E. Schmidt of Sudlersville, MD, died on Monday July 3, 2017, in the University of Maryland Shore Medical Center in Chestertown. He was 87 years old. Mr. Schmidt was born in Dover, DE, the son of the late Oscar and Else Schmidt. He graduated from Sudlersville High School and attended the University of Maryland. In 1956, Mr. Schmidt spent five months in Austria as part of the International Farm Youth Exchange. As life progressed, Mr. Schmidt served as President of the Maryland IFYE Alumni Assoc. and served as a Director of the National IFYE Alumni Assoc. Grain and Livestock farming his entire life, Mr. Schmidt was a 4-H Club Leader for 10 years and served on the Maryland 4-H Older Youth Council. He was a member of the 4-H All-Stars, and his service to the Agriculture community continued through his service as a Past President of the Queen Anne’s County Farm Bureau and a former Director of the Maryland State Farm Bureau. He was a former member of the Independent Pork Producers Assoc. Other activities and services he enjoyed were his service as a member of the Queen Anne’s County Forestry Conservation Board; a past member and Chairman of the Queen Anne’s County Planning and Zoning Board for 15 years, a Charter member of the Sudlersville Ruritan Club, a Past Chairman of the Kent School Board, a Member of the Kent & Queen Anne’s Hospital Board for 19 years, serving as President for two of those years. He served as a Director of the Sudlersville Bank and later served on the Centreville National Bank Board where he also served as Chairman of the Board. Mr. Schmidt was a longtime member of the Delaware Saengerbund and Dover German American Club. Mr. Schmidt was inducted into the Maryland Agriculture Hall of Fame in 2007. He was a very active member of the Calvary-Asbury United Methodist Church in Sudlersville, where he served for many years, including Chairman of the Administrative Council, the Building Committee, and volunteering in the Food pantry. Mr. Schmidt enjoyed dancing, traveling, gardening, and working around his home. In addition to his parents, Mr. Schmidt is predeceased by a brother, Oscar A. Schmidt. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Nancy Rice Schmidt; two sons, Hans W. Schmidt and his wife Jennie and Alan W. Schmidt and wife Brenda all of Sudlersville, MD; grandchildren, Zachary, Katrina, Jacob and Tyler Schmidt; and one sister, Christa Pederson of Middletown, DE. Funeral services will be held on Monday July 10, 2017, at 2pm, at the Calvary-Asbury United Methodist Church, in Sudlersville, where friends and family may call after 1pm. Friends and family are also invited to call Sunday afternoon and evening from 2-4pm and again at 6-8pm at the Fellows Family Funeral Home 370 Cypress St., in Millington. Interment will follow church services in Sudlersville Cemetery, Sudlersville, MD. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions in his memory to Calvary-Asbury United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 202, Sudlersville, MD. 21668, and/or The Maryland 4-H Foundation Inc., Maryland 4-H Center, 8020 Greenmead Drive, College Park, MD 20740-4000, and/or Wells for Ghana, 24321 Shore Highway, Denton, MD 21629.

Walter Ernst Schmidt

August 19, 1929 - July 3, 2017