Roger Dean Schmidt

Roger Dean Schmidt, 81, passed away in Gassville, Arkansas on March 15, 2024. Born in Newton, Kansas to Rudy and Cornelia Elizabeth Schmidt, he grew up in Emporia, Kansas. Roger spent most of his adult life in the Kansas City area (Overland Park and Leawood) and retired in 2004. He worked in the commercial electrical construction business for 35 years. He never missed a day of work and took great pride in assisting in the lighting of the world-renowned Plaza lights in Kansas City for the annual holiday season.
Roger was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed hunting, fishing, and camping, particularly in the Tall Grass Prairie area of the Kansas Flint Hills. His favorite fishing spot in Arkansas was the White River in Cotter. He enjoyed Kansas City Chiefs and Oklahoma Sooners football, Kansas City Royals and Los Angeles Dodgers baseball, and UCLA and KU basketball. He was a top barbecue master and liked cooking his special baby back ribs for everyone. He prided himself on keeping a clean grill and spotless kitchen.
He loved spending quality time with his wonderful wife, Dee, doing everything together, from antique shopping to fishing to playing cards with couples friends. He was very giving of his time and labor, helping family and friends with home projects-always free of charge. He even gave away his work bonuses to friends or coworkers in need. He could be temperamental at times, but he had a great sense of humor, always whistling in the morning, cracking jokes, and calling friends and family by funny nicknames other than their own. His ritual of winding down was drinking beer or going for a ride with one of his dogs as a passenger.
Roger is survived by his dedicated wife since 1970, Dee Schmidt of Gassville, Arkansas, his only son, Corey Dean Schmidt of Newport Beach, California, grandson, A.D. (Adam) Schmidt of Austin, Texas, and granddaughter, Melody Schmidt of Laguna Niguel, California. He is also survived by his four sisters, Betty Selby of Emporia, Kansas, Margie Stine of San Antonio, Texas, Karen Cowan and her husband, Bill Cowan, of Derby, Kansas, and Debbie Marsh and her husband, Ray Marsh, of Emporia, Kansas. He was preceded in death by his father, Rudy Schmidt, his mother, Cornelia Elizabeth Schmidt, his brothers-in-law, Steve Selby and Jay Stine, and his daughter-in-law, Jeannie (Peirce) Schmidt.
A private service will be held in his memory. Please send any donations to Elite Hospice of Mountain Home, https://lhcgroup.com/locations/elite-hospice-mountain-home/, or The Alzheimer's Association, https://action.alz.org/.