Alan Anthony Schmidt

Alan Anthony Schmidt, 67, passed away in Charlotte, NC, on June 18, 2024 after a brief hospitalization.
Al was born in Milwaukee, WI, the son of Charles and Joan Schmidt. Al grew up in New Berlin, WI graduating from New Berlin West high school. He went on to the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and obtained his degree in mathematics. He later furthered his education by getting his masters in Computer Science at UW Milwaukee. He met Janell while working at Sentry Insurance in Stevens Point, WI, and they were married on November 7, 1981 in Brookfield, WI. In 1985 they moved to Menomonee Falls, WI, where they would live until 2021 when they retired to Charlotte, NC to escape the Wisconsin winters. Al worked over 35 years as a computer programmer for FIS and its predecessor companies.
He and Janell were blessed with two children, Nicole and Christopher. He supported them in every way and in every endeavor. His grandkids were his greatest treasure and he enjoyed every chance he had to visit with them.
When not working, Al kept busy with the kids' activities and plenty of his own. A steadfast member of every church to which they belonged, Al was always volunteering for something-he served as an usher, communion assistant and was on church council. He was a chaperone and guide for ELCA youth gatherings-even without a child of his own in attendance. As members of St John's Lutheran Church in Brookfield, WI he and Janell participated in four mission trips to Tanzania. He also traveled with a St. John's delegation to El Salvador where he helped to finish a new church for a sister congregation. More recently they joined Ascension Lutheran Church in Charlotte where he enjoyed serving at the soup kitchen and food pantry. He was always strong in faith and wanted to contribute in any way he could to his church family and to serve all of God's people.
He and Janell enjoyed traveling personally as well, vacationing to many beaches on the East Coast, recently taking a cruise to Alaska and previously traveling internationally to countries including Australia, South Korea, British Virgin Islands, and Mexico.
Al had many hobbies which he enjoyed. Having been a collegiate swimmer, as an adult he went on to be a swim coach and eventually a swim official, serving at many local high school meets as well as USA Swimming meets. He was invited to participate at the state level as well. The family learned Tae Kwon Do at JK Lee in Brookfield where Al attained black belt status along with his wife and son. Al always enjoyed bicycling and often participated in rides for charity including for the Trek 100 supporting the MACC fund, the Leukemia and Lymphoma society, the Bike MS Best Dam Bike Race amongst others.
Al loved anything on the water. He was a great water skier in his younger years and enjoyed taking the kids skiing or tubing on summer boating day trips to Rock Lake. We are blessed to have revisited Rock Lake with Al just last summer. While his daughter was in high school, a coworker took Al and Nicole on a sailing trip in Door County. He enjoyed that so much that he and Nicole went on to sailing classes and Al eventually became a sailing instructor himself at the Milwaukee Community Sailing Center. He enjoyed many hours on his own sail boat, the Poa Kichizi, a Swahili phrase he learned in Tanzania meaning "Crazy Cool Banana". He also volunteered with the Coast Guard Auxiliary serving the Milwaukee area of Lake Michigan.
As a universal platelet donor, Al gave of himself consistently and had standing appointments to donate platelets every 2 weeks for years upon years. Often his donations were tagged specifically for children waiting for transfusions at Childrens of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. He was even called in one Christmas Eve to make a donation that was urgently needed.
Over the last several years, Al fought a hard personal battle with Alzheimer's. The family would like to thank the doctors and staff from the Froedtert Memory Disorders Program in Milwaukee and the Duke Division of Memory Disorders in Durham for their kindness, compassion and care for Al.
He is preceded in death by his father, Charles. He is survived by his wife, Janell; his mother, Joan Schmidt of Muskego, WI; daughter Nicole (husband Andrew) Larson of Monroeville, PA, and their children: Jakob and Johanna; son Christopher (wife Ashley) Schmidt of Watertown, WI and their son Hayden; siblings: Gary (wife Phyllis) Schmidt of Sunrise Beach, Missouri, Carolyn (husband Jeff) Sobczyk of Mukwonago, Kurt (wife Shelley) Schmidt of Milwaukee, Thomas (wife Karen) Schmidt of Sunrise Beach, Missouri. Further survived by extended family.
Private family services are being planned in Wisconsin at a future date.
Memorials appreciated to Ascension Lutheran Church Food Kitchen and Pantry, online at https://www.ascensioncharlotte.org/giving. The family would also encourage all those who are able to consider donating blood to your local blood bank in Al's honor.