Steven Bryan Schmidt

Steven Bryan Schmidt of Park County Colorado, entered eternal life July 27, 2025 in Colorado Springs. He was born on June 27, 1948 to Daryl Merwyn Schmidt and Elsie Elizabeth (Scheidt) Schmidt in Sioux City, Iowa. He was blessed to be the recipient of a double lung transplant on October 26, 2014 which resulted in over ten years of additional life on this earth and the privilege of knowing three additional grandchildren born after his transplant. The son of a Lutheran minister, he was a faithful member of several Lutheran churches over the course of his life: Rock of Ages, Immanuel, and First Lutheran Church all in Colorado Springs. At the time of his death he was a member of Faith Lutheran Church, Woodland Park, CO – a congregation his father pastored beginning in 1956. As Steve's health failed, he greatly anticipated entering the glorious eternal life purchased for him by Jesus Christ, his Lord and Savior.

Steve went to high school at Palmer High in Colorado Springs, graduating in 1966. He went on to earn an associates degree in electronics from the University of Southern Colorado (USC). He spent time as a member of the Air National Guard from 1969-1975. Also beginning in 1969, he worked for Hewlett Packard in Colorado Springs as a systems engineer and later as a quality assurance analyst. He was known to call himself a 'professional nit-picker.'

Steve was happiest either tinkering with electronics, computers and/or hardware, listening to choral and/or organ music, or in the great outdoors. He hiked many miles of the Colorado Trail, also climbing 18 of the state's notorious 14'ers (mountains above 14,000 ft.). Once his principled work ethic and high standards were deemed outmoded in the workplace, he continued to pursue a lifelong specialization in 'still useful' parts reclamation and 'kludge-making,' skills which were useful for several years as a member of the maintenance team at First Lutheran Church until his retirement due to health in 2013.

Steve is survived by his wife Janice Mae (Nolte) Schmidt whom he married on August 20, 1971; his sisters Julie Hall of Ft Wayne, Indiana and Kathy Menzel of Ft Worth, Texas; his daughter Heidi Hollis residing in Bristol, England, and sons Bryan, Nathan, and Jonathan Schmidt, all residents of Colorado, as well as eight grandchildren by blood plus two by marriage.

A memorial service will be held at Faith Lutheran Church on Monday August 11, 2025 at 11am. A salad and sandwich luncheon will follow.

The family wishes to extend their gratitude to the medical specialists and staff in the transplant team at University of Colorado Hospital, Denver. Most especially, thanks to Patti, Nurse Coordinator, his favorite contact in the team, for whose presence he was grateful during his entire transplant journey from 2014 right up until his last week.

The family is collecting photos, anecdotes and tributes at nitpickersteve@gmail.com, and will be grateful for contributions.

Steve's body was donated at his request to the UCH Medical School for use in the instruction of future surgeons and other medical students.

Memorial contributions may be made to:

Faith Lutheran Church, 1310 Evergreen Heights Drive, Woodland Park, CO 80863

and/or The Martin Zamora Lung Transplant Fund at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

Please send your gift in memory of Steve Schmidt to: University of Colorado Foundation, PO Box 17126, Denver CO 80217. On the memo line of the check, please note IMO Steve Schmidt and Martin Zamora Lung Transplant Fund and make it payable to the CU Foundation. Gifts may also be made online at Giving.CU.EDU/SSchmidt