Robert Schmidt

1930 - 2015

Robert Schmidt

Robert Lee Schmidt, 85, of Belleville, Ill., born June 24, 1930, passed away Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2015, at his home with his beloved wife and family around him.

Mr. Schmidt worked at St Ellen Mine in O'Fallon for six years before it shut down and was then employed at Ameren Union Electric for 28 years. He then went to work at Jack & Jill Day Care, driving the children to area schools and then picking them up. They called him "Mr. Bob" and he loved it and could remember all the kids even after they moved on.

Robert was proud to be a Marine "Once a Marine, always a Marine." He served his country during the Korean War in a mortar men unit and vividly remembered the battle of Heartbreak Ridge where many of his buddies perished. In 2010 he made a special effort to visit Washington D.C. and viewed the Korean Memorial, the Vietnam Memorial, and the Iwo Jima Memorial where he watched the impressive Silent Drill Platoon, a 24 man precision exhibition drill team with 10 pound M1 rifles tipped with fixed bayonets.

Bob was an avid sports fan and enjoyed bowling and tennis where he won several trophies. He loved the game of golf which he played up into his 70's. When he couldn't play anymore he watched them on TV. He excelled at playing pool where he was a member of the St Clair County Bank Pool league. His memory of pool shots was phenomenal. He could recall every shot he made and every game he played.

He enjoyed camping and traveling and visited all 50 states and Canada and Mexico. He drove to Alaska twice, putting 12,000 miles on his RV each time.

Robert loved his family and was proud of his children and all his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his daughter, Karen Ripley in 2013; and his grandson, Geoffrey Schmidt in 2015.

Surviving are his wife, Patricia, nee Allen, of 61 years, whom he married on Sept. 25, 1954; three children, Geoffrey, Eric (Tina), and Leah Ross (Jeffrey); and son-in-law, Tom Ripley. He adored his 12 grandchildren and his 12 great-grandchildren.

Bob appreciated all the prayers from his family and friends to help him get through his final days.

The family wishes to thank Jennifer, Cindy, Sharon, Jane, and Carrie and the rest of the Family Hospice family for the loving care and kindness to Robert.

Memorials may be made to Family Hospice at 5110 West Main, Belleville, Ill.

Visitation: Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 29, 2015, at Valhalla Gaerdner Holten Funeral Home, in Belleville, Ill.

Funeral: A Mass will be at 10 a.m. Monday, Nov. 30, 2015, at St. Henry's Church.

VALHALLA GAERDNER HOLTEN FUNERAL HOME, Belleville, Ill.