Obituary of Kenneth Melvin Schmidt

Kenneth Melvin Schmidt was born in his family’s farmhouse in Fair Haven Township on October 3, 1939, during a hailstorm. He lived his entire life in the Kimball- Fair Haven area. He died on December 24, 2021, of Large B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (DLBCL) complicated by a massive stroke. He fought valiantly and courageously for over a year receiving various treatments.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. at Concordia Lutheran Church in Fair Haven MN with Pastor David Buchs officiating on January 8 with visitation from 9-11 a.m., before the service. Burial will be in the Fair Haven Cemetery.

His parents were Ted and Ada (Meyer) Schmidt of Fair Haven. He was baptized and confirmed in his faith at Concordia Lutheran Church. He was in the Class of 1957 at Kimball High School.

He was united in marriage to Rosalie Griffen in 1961 at Concordia Lutheran Chruch. From this union came three children: Curt (Cathy) of Maple Plain MN, Todd (Suzy) of Champlin MN, and Sonja Lyon of Kimball. They were divorced in 1987.

Kenny worked for Imholte Gas Co., Gas Service Co., and Kim-Built Propane, Inc. from 1961-2012. He retired in the fall of 2012 after heart by-pass surgery.

He was united in marriage on July 3, 1988, in Hawaii on the Big Island at his father-in-law’s home to Wanda Bohan. They wintered in Lake Havasu City AZ in Sunset Park from 2012-2020.

He was a charter member of the Kimball Lions Club helping to organize it and was its president twice and gambling chairman. He received the Melvin Jones Fellow award for “dedicated humanitarian services” to his community.

He was an active member in St. John’s Lutheran Church in Kimball serving as an elder and usher for many years. He transferred to his home church in Fair Haven serving there as elder and usher as well.

Kenny enjoyed fishing, pontooning, traveling to Hawaii, Mexico, Costa Rica, Ireland, Rome, Venice, Baltic Sea capital cities and St.Petersburg, Australia and New Zealand, Sicily, Greece, Turkey, Crete, Alaskan In-land Passage Cruise, Panama Canal Cruise, and playing cards especially Euchre.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers: Chester & Delmer; sisters-in-law: Luverne & Lola Schmidt; nephew: Rollie Schmidt; great-grandson: Dayvian Carter Nystrom.

Kenny is survived by his loving wife, Wanda; his sons and daughter, and step-daughter Regina (George) Strand of Moorhead; grandchildren: Susan (Harmon) Henck of Turtle Lake WI, Renae Bulau Swanson ( Adam) of Scottsdale AZ, Christopher (Dani) Schmidt of Mound MN, Heidi ( Scott) Rosenow of South Haven, Jenni Nystrom of St. Cloud, Cassandra Schmidt ( Brent) of Mound MN, step-grandsons: Jason (Bria) Strand of Fort Collins CO, Andrew Strand of Tempe AZ; great -grandchildren: Tucker Duffy, Haden & Garrett Rosenow, Bryce, Ava & Alexess(step) Henck, Brier Schmidt, Logan Schmidt, Emillian Alexander, Brayton Nystrom, Jenniah Jo Carter, & Harlee Swanson (step); brothers: Howard of Kimball, Darrel (Jane) of South Haven, Ronald (Marlys) of Moorhead, & Roger (Peggy) of South Haven; sisters-in-law: Shirley & Dolly Schmidt; a special couple in his life: Jeff & Lynne Orbeck and many nephews and nieces who have helped him so much on this journey. His family was of great importance to him; he was so blessed.

Urn bearers are his grandchildren. Honorary urn bearers are: Emery, Kyle and Dean Schmidt, Jeff and Duane Orbeck, Paul Gannon, Chuck Leonard and Steve Sokoloski. Arrangements are entrusted to the Cremation Society of Minnesota. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Concordia Lutheran Church, Hutchinson Cancer Center, Ecumen of Litchfield Home Care & Hospice, and the DAV who provided a hospital bed and commode free of charge.