Gary Neil Schmedding

1938 - 2025

Gary Neil Schmedding

November 22, 1938 - December 2, 2025

Gary Neil Schmedding, 87, of Chapin, South Carolina, died peacefully on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, surrounded by family.

If his life can be summed up in three words, they are the values he returned to every day: faith, family and service. Gary spent his 87 years living those principles in steady, practical ways that shaped the communities and people he loved.

Born in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1938, Gary was the son of Bernard and Frena Schmedding. He grew up on the family dairy farm near Belton and graduated from Belton High School in 1956. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Journalism degree from the University of Missouri and later served in the U.S. Army. His professional career spanned nearly four decades in broadcasting, beginning as a reporter and ultimately rising to President of the Lee Broadcast Group, where he oversaw stations across the country and served in leadership roles with multiple national broadcasting associations.

After retiring in 1999, Gary and his wife, RoseMarie, moved to Lake Murray and built a life grounded in faith and service in Chapin. A longtime Catholic, Gary was an active member of Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church, where he helped lead Bible study, served in the Men's Club and co-chaired the capital campaign for the new church. His faith was both intellectual and deeply personal. He was a lifelong learner who studied Scripture with curiosity and rigor, embracing questions as much as answers.

Gary approached the wider world with that same sense of curiosity. He loved to travel, learn about different cultures and meet people whose experiences differed from his own.

Humility also defined his leadership. Despite a long and accomplished career, Gary had no interest in the spotlight. He led by example, never asking anyone to do a job he wouldn't do himself. His quiet, servant-leader approach earned the respect of colleagues, friends and volunteers everywhere he served.

Service to others was a constant through every chapter of his life. He volunteered for years at the We Care Center food pantry in Chapin and tutored elementary students. His commitment to community was repeatedly recognized - including the Annie Epting Volunteer of the Year Award from the Greater Chapin Chamber of Commerce, the Paul Harris Award from the Rotary Club of Chapin Sunrise and the Boy Scouts of America Silver Beaver Award for distinguished service to youth. He also served as president of the Greater Chapin Community Endowment Fund, where he helped strengthen local programs that mattered to him.

Family was the center of his world. Gary loved his wife of 48 years, RoseMarie, and took quiet pride in the family they built together. He was endlessly proud of his four children and of the way his grandchildren and great-grandchildren carry forward the values he cherished.

Despite embracing South Carolina as home, Gary never lost his Missouri roots. He became an enthusiastic Gamecock fan - except when they played Mizzou. He was a Tiger to his core, a loyalty shaped in part by the lifelong brotherhood he found at the University of Missouri through Delta Chi. Those friendships endured for decades, with his fraternity brothers continuing to travel from near and far to gather, reminisce and stay connected.

Gary was preceded in death by his parents, Frena and Bernard Schmedding; his son Mark Andrew Schmedding; his brother Darrell Schmedding; and his cousin Sister Josephine Boyles.

He is survived by his wife, RoseMarie Schmedding; his sister Judy Wagner (Dennis); and his children Lisa Schloz (Daryl), Teresa Schmedding (David Wood), James Schmedding (Jennifer) and Neil Schmedding (Kathleen).

He is also survived by his grandchildren Noah Schmedding, Nina Schmedding, Joseph Schmedding, Henry Schmedding, Katie Schloz, Courtney Sokol (Steve), Cara McKee (Ryan) and Mark David Wood; and by his great-grandchildren Decklyn, Dominic, Trystan and Liam.

A funeral Mass will be held at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church in Chapin on January 31, 2025, at 11 a.m. Following the service, inurnment will take place in the church cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the We Care Center in Chapin or Our Lady of the Lake building fund.

Whitaker Funeral Home is honored to serve the Schmedding family.