John D. Schmidt Obituary (1942 - 2020)

TO VIEW FUNERAL SERVICE LIVE CLICK LINK BELOW View Funeral Webcast John David Schmidt, 78, dear friend, father, grandfather, brother, and uncle, passed away peacefully of natural causes in his home on the night of June 20. He was happy and generally healthy, even hiking and enjoying nature on the day he died. John was born in West Jordan, Utah, the first of five children on February 15, 1942, to Paul and Evelyn Schmidt. He grew up on a farm that commercially produced wheat and sugar beets. John loved farming and would proudly engage in “farm talk.” John went to Bingham High School, he then served a mission for the LDS church in the Central States. After returning home, he went to the University of Utah graduating with a Master’s Degree in Education, Special Education, and Teaching Administration. John worked for thirty one years at Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind, the last twenty years as program director. He was loved by all of his students, fellow teachers, therapists, and administrators. It was not uncommon to be out with John and have someone from his professional life come up to him and say how much they loved him and appreciated the positive impact he’d had on their life. Under his direction the program at Utah Schools for the Deaf earned the State Board of Education’s 1990 Program of the Year Award. In 2003, John was awarded the Professional of the Year Award by the Alexander Graham Bell Association (AGB), an international organization working globally to ensure that people who are deaf and hard of hearing can hear and talk. After retiring, John was recruited by AGB’s Public School Caucus to create a public school option for young children with hearing loss in the DC area. He coordinated with local school district administrators and audiologists, and even taught the class. John loved his family and could always be found helping someone with a project. It was impossible for him to be idle, and he was happiest when he was helping. He was handyman extraordinaire and there wasn’t a job he couldn’t do. As a teenager, with his exceptional understanding of electronics, John earned the “Superior Work” award in the 1957 Science Fair for his Jacob's Ladder, lit by Tesla coil proximity. John was very active. He loved hiking, cycling, skiing, and being in the great outdoors. He loved his motorcycle, riding it twice from coast to coast across the US. He enjoyed traveling, and visited many places including China, much of Europe, Mexico, Vietnam, and much of the United States. John is survived by his children Kristina (Pat), Joshua (Ann), Ann Marie (Jared), and Rachel (John) as well as, his longtime companion, the love of his life; Kimberly Saul, and her two sons, Ryan, and Matthew (Emily). John is also survived by his four siblings, Byron (Lynne), Stan (Janice), Carol (Ron) and Dorothy, and four grandchildren who all loved him dearly. He will be missed by all who knew him. A viewing will be Friday, June 26th from 6 pm to 8 pm at Jenkins-Soffe Funeral Home: 4760 South State Murray. Funeral Services will be held Saturday, June 27th at Jenkins-Soffe Funeral Home: 4760 South State Murray, with a viewing from 9:30 am-10:45 am and the funeral at 11:00 am. Interment will be held at West Jordan City Cemetery: 7800 South 1300 West West Jordan In lieu of flowers, we request that you make a donation in his name to the AG Bell foundation. https://www.agbell.org/Donate