Mary Evelyn Schmidt

1954 - 2025

Mary Evelyn Schmidt Fort Wayne, IN - Mary Evelyn Schmidt, born April 17,1954, passed away on October 25, 2025 at the Coventry Nursing Home in Fort Wayne, Indiana at the age of 71.

As a young student at J. A. Craig High School in Janesville, Wisconsin and the University of Wisconsin Whitewater, she excelled at debate, public speaking and literature. Later in life, she received a Master of Science in Business Management from Indiana Wesleyan University.

While still in her early twenties, she was hired as a Facility Activity Director , a staff position at convalescent and nursing homes in two southern Wisconsin cities. But by 1983, her lifelong interest in government took over and she was elected to the Janesville City Council-the youngest woman to hold the position at the time. Her colleagues selected her Council President after she won her second two year term. During this time, she was also asked to join the staff in the Office of the Wisconsin State Assembly's Sergeant of Arms.

In 1986, Mary moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana with her husband, Randy Schmidt, who had taken a transfer to the new GM Truck Assembly Plant. She was quickly hired to help implement Mayor Win Moses' Citizens Advocate Program, and then Indiana Congresswoman Jill Long chose her to serve a long assignment for the NE Indiana Division of Family and Children. Her last government position was with Fort Wayne City Utilities.

A lifelong advocate for community service and not-for profit organizations led to positions for Mary as Director of Development for Planned Parenthood of NE Indiana and State Director of ICAAN, an HIV patient advocacy organization based in Indianapolis.

Mary was proceeded in death by her parents, Edward and Evelyn Wellnitz and three siblings, Thomas, John and Carol. She is survived by her husband, Randy Schmidt, and three siblings, Catherine Daniel (Scott), Laura Bickle (Mark), and Mark Wellnitz (Sandi), all of Janesville, as well as eight nieces and nephews.

Mary dis not wish to have a funeral service but a private celebration of life will take place at a future date in her hometown of Janesville, Wisconsin.

In lieu of flowers, memorials should be made to the East Wayne Street Center, a low income student education assistance program in Fort Wayne, Indiana.