James Schmidt Obituary

In Loving Memory
James C. Schmidt
January 27, 1934 - November 17, 2024

SERVICE
Friday, November 22, 2024
1:00 P.M.
First United Methodist Church
Emmetsburg, Iowa

CLERGY
Pastor Judy DePue
Pastor Curtis DeFord

INTERMENT
Silver Lake Cemetery
Ayrshire, Iowa

James Carl Schmidt, son of Henry and Belva (Perkins) Schmidt, was born January 27, 1934 in Pocahontas County, Iowa.  He received his education and graduated from Rodman Community School.  While in high school, James played basketball and baseball.  He was a very good basketball player and had the joy of participating on the team that made it to the substate finals.  James enjoyed telling the story about traveling to the game in a snowstorm, having the bus get stuck and the team getting out to push the bus out of the snowbank.

James was united in marriage to Beverly Firkins and they were blessed with  three children, Diane, Randy and Angie.  They also welcomed two foster children into their home, David Nissen and Debbie James.  

James was employed with the United States Postal Service, hauling mail.  He also farmed near Rodman, grain farming as well as raising livestock.  James had a unique ability to crawl into a cow pen with an untamed cow that had just had a calf, and be able to walk right up to them to help the calf nurse.  He enjoyed working with his cattle a great deal and was devastated when his herd became sick and he lost the majority of them.  This affected his farming operation and the family was forced to sell the farm.  He never gave up hope of owning ground again and later in his life, he, along with his mother and his son, purchased land.

Later James owned and operated the Ayrshire Quick Stop which he enjoyed a lot, always willing to help someone out or take a few minutes to visit with his patrons while they  had coffee. James later moved to the farm where he made his home for four years before his health forced him to move to Laurens. 

James was a faithful member of the First United Methodist Church in Emmetsburg for many years. He was also a devoted member of the Masonic Lodge in Emmetsburg.

James’s grandchildren were very important to him and he looked forward to spending time with each of them, attending their basketball, baseball, and softball games as well as concerts, musicals and dance recitals.   He was proud to watch Brandon play basketball at Iowa State.  Attending the area fairs where Jarred and Justin showed their livestock was also a highlight for James.  He often talked about how proud he was of Nathan for all that he had done to serve our country.  

James passed away Sunday, November 17, 2024 at the Care Center in Laurens, Iowa, at the age of 90.  He was preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Belva Schmidt; twin sons in infancy; a brother, Lyle Schmidt; and a sister, Marlene Johnson.

He is survived by his wife, Beverly of Storm Lake, Iowa; his children, Diane Nicol (Norm) of Letts, Iowa, Randy Schmidt (Felicia) of Emmetsburg, Iowa and Angie Woodford (Nate) of Storm Lake, Iowa; his grandchildren, Nathan Nicol (Megan), Brandon Nicol (Jill), Dawn Johnson (Colin), Katie Patterson, Jarred Schmidt, Frankie Georgopoulos (Taylor), Faith Smith (Dylan), Justin Schmidt, Jenny Wilson (Noah), Crystal Woodford, and Amber Masters (Logan); twenty-two great grandchildren; a brother, Keith Schmidt (Nellie) of Ankeny, Iowa; as well as many other relatives and friends.

James was loved and respected by all who knew him and will be greatly missed.

Words of remembrance written by Randy.....

I would like you to know about my earthly father James Schmidt.  He endured many hardships throughout his life from surviving scarlet fever as an infant to witnessing one of his friends get killed in an accident and also losing twin sons early on in his marriage.  He also survived a fire after crawling down into  a hog pit to light a burner which ended up exploding.  He crawled out of a 4 by 5 foot hole by the grace of God.  He told of how it was Jesus who pulled him out and placed him near a pile of sand to be able to put out the fire that was on his face and hands.  He had many hospital visits to treat the burns he received from that accident. Throughout all the hardships he endured in his life, he always stayed positive and trusted in Jesus Christ his Lord and Savior.

In his younger years he attended Rodman High school where he played basketball and baseball.  He was a very good basketball player.  He was able to take his basketball team to the substate finals.  They had to drive through a snow storm to get to the game and team also had to push the bus.  They ended up losing the basketball game but he was always up for telling stories about his basketball days.  He was very close to Julie Erickson, James Bargman and Martin Fogarty.

In the later years of his life, he purchased the Ayrshire Quick Stop where he was able to help out numerous people.  I remember one time he gave gas to someone so they would be able to get to their cancer treatment, that was the kind of man my dad was.  He enjoyed when the farmers would come in for coffee and sit and chat even though he didn't drink coffee himself.  After legally separating from his wife, he came to live out at the farm with us where we were able to spend 4 loving years with him.  His grandson Justin was his main caregiver during those years and took care of him better than anyone else could have.  Also, during those 4 years he was able to spend time with his loved ones for holidays and birthdays.  Throughout his whole life he was never a flashy man or cared about his image or appearance because his true image was portrayed by his heart and not how he looked.

He was married to Beverly Firkins and they were blessed with Diane, Angie and I.  He also took in two foster kids David Nissin and Debbie James.  He hauled mail for the U.S. Postal Service and would deliver mail in snow storms.  He was also a farmer and raised livestock.  He was forced to file bankruptcy and sell the family farm in Rodman after a large portion of feeder cattle came down with an illness that ended up taking a majority of the herd.  My father had a uniqueness about him that I've never seen before.  He could crawl into a cow pen with an untamed cow that had just calved and walk up to it and help the new calf start nursing.  After losing the farm, I remember dad calling me one day and he told me if we didn't buy land again right away, we would never own land of our own again.  Against my mother and sisters will, I loaned him and my grandmother the money to purchase the land we have today that he wanted to pass onto his grandsons to be able to take over and farm to keep the family legacy going.

My father and I were close.  I can remember back to the days when I was a young boy and would ride on the rear mounted cultivator with him and get tired and end up sleeping in the rows and he would come wake me up.  I still remember the spring on the cultivator pinching my leg.  My father was a good provider.  I always had food in front of me and a warm bed to sleep in.  He helped me follow my dreams to show cattle.  He took me to cattle shows like the Chicago International Show and also to Denver, Colorado to exhibit.  He talked about what an eye-opening experience going to those shows were.

Now I want to tell you about his heart.  He loved his grandchildren more than anything in life.  He was always there for them and lifting them up and telling them they would achieve their goals or that there would be a better day.  He loved to watch his grandchildren play basketball and softball and any other events they were in and would only miss something if an emergency came up.  He would attend basketball games at Iowa State to watch Brandon play.  He also talked about how proud he was of Nathan for all he has done to serve our country.  He enjoyed supporting Jarred and Justin showing cattle at fairs.  If you asked his grandkids, they couldn't say he said anything bad about them or reprimanded them because he loved them wholeheartedly.  I remember when we would be combining corn or beans and he would get to the end of the row and get out of the combine and run to his car to take off so he wouldn't miss a game.  That was frustrating to me sometimes because I thought combining was more important but he would just turn around and look at me and laugh and say if I die tomorrow this is your headache but I'm going to the ballgame.  He also had a love for helping those less fortunate.  I remember one day we were traveling through Whittemore, Iowa and there was a man who approached our truck asking for money.  My dad didn't give him money but bought a meal for him instead.  I asked him why he did that and he said so, I don't know it that was God testing me.

There are so many more memories and things I could share with you about the great man my father was.  My prayer to my heavenly father is that he hold and cradles my dad and takes him to his eternal home to be with him.  Amen

Arrangements by Martin-Mattice Funeral Home