Bud Schmidt

Bud J. Schmidt, age 89, went to be with the Lord on December 1, 2020, at 1:45 pm, in San Jose, CA, with his family by his side.

Bud was born on June 3, 1931 in Hooker Village, Pulaski Co., Missouri, classified as a “place populated” and also known as the “Middle of Everywhere”, found on Historic Route 66. At age 17, Bud enlisted in the Navy and served from 1948-1952 aboard the USS Rogers DDR-876. Bud prayed before making his decision to leave the Navy. He asked God to bless him with a wife and family. He was introduced to Shirley in September of 1952 on a blind date, proposed in December and they were wed on February 28, 1953 at the College Avenue Presbyterian Church in Alton, IL.

Bud and Shirley moved to California to raise their family of 4 children.  Bud worked for Lockheed LMSC and retired after 30 years as Design Specialist, Lead Engineer. Bud spent much of his free time “engineering and fixing” things for family, friends, and neighbors and at their church. His wife Shirley and he would travel by car from California to Illinois many times, over their 67 years of marriage.

Bud is survived by his younger brother Paul Schmidt and his wife Linda, his younger sister Jane Yanis and her husband Mike, sister-in law Glenda Schmidt, his son Mark Schmidt, daughters Judith Leonard and Martha Larson, 7 grandchildren: Melanie, Melissa, Daniel, Julia, Matthew, Monica and Dakota Sky, 9 great grandchildren: Daisie, Emily, Abeygail, Lucas, Landon, Hadley, Lukin, Madelyne, and Michael Thomas; nieces, nephews and cousins who he loved very much.

He was preceded in death by his wife Shirley Marie Dunbar Schmidt, his father and mother Verbual A. Schmidt and Martha Helen Schmidt, his elder brothers Kenneth and  Thomas Schmidt, younger sister Jeannette Stiles, younger brother Robert Schmidt, and his son, Michael Perry Schmidt.

A private funeral service will be held 11 AM Tuesday, December 15, 2020 at Elias, Kallal and Schaaf Funeral Home in Godfrey, IL.  Reverend Patrick Thatcher will officiate.  A private burial will follow at Upper Alton Cemetery in Alton, IL.  Alton VFW Post 1308 will perform Military Rites.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing, occupancy, and mask wearing guidelines will be followed as mandated by the CDC. 

To accommodate family and friends impacted by travel restrictions and occupancy constraints, the funeral service will be available via live stream on our Facebook page beginning 11 AM CST.  Please follow this link to join the live viewing, or to watch later:  https://www.facebook.com/eliaskallalandschaaf

The graveside service will be recorded and uploaded to our website, under the Buddie Jack Schmidt tribute page.  Please follow this link to view our website: 

https://www.eliaskallalandschaaf.com/

Family and friends are encouraged to continue Bud and Shirley’s Christmas traditions and celebrate that they are reunited in Christ this Christmas.

Obit Provided By:
Elias, Kallal & Schaaf Funeral Home