January 7, 1929 – December 14, 2022

Funeral services for Henry E. Schmidt, 93, of Princeton, Minn., formerly of Slayton, Minn., will be held at the First Reformed Church in Slayton on Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. with Rev. Aaron Punt officiating. The pallbearers are his grandchildren. Interment is at Woodstock Cemetery in Woodstock, Minn.

Henry Ernest Schmidt was born on January 7, 1929, in Moulton Township, near Chandler, Minn., to Ernest Henry and Emma (Zeylamaker) Schmidt. He grew up in southwest Minnesota and northwest Iowa area. Henry graduated from Pipestone County Rural School, then lived and worked with Uncle John Van Beek up to and after he was married to Harriet Joyce Kruisselbrink on October 6, 1948. They farmed in the Woodstock area until January of 1953 and sold out to buy a mobile mill grinder. They moved to Ruthton and began building the grinder business. In the first few years while building the grinder business, Henry made deliveries to people in the area for Mr. Olsen, the Draman. In 1960 they bought a new mobile mill manufactured in Ames, Iowa. Henry continued running the grinder until 1971 when respiratory issues forced him to sell.

He started working in the office for Ken Knuth at Finley Engineering and later transferred to field engineering at Finley obtaining a realtor’s license to do right-of-way easement work and fiber optic construction management. Henry worked for Finley, for 27 years on various network projects throughout the United States, retiring from full-time in 1993 but continued part-time until 1998.

Henry made his commitment to Christ at age 10 at a tent revival meeting. He was an active member of the Reformed Church in America (RCA) as a Sunday School teacher, a deacon and elder on the church boards at the Reformed Church first in Woodstock and later at Slayton.

Henry was a strong man of faith, humility, and integrity, and much more; A wonderful husband, giving father, beloved grandfather, and leader of his family. He enjoyed many activities in his youth, was a talented proficient do-it-yourselfer at home and helped many family members and neighbors. Henry loved to sing and was part of the Gospelaires Quartet for 30 years. Henry passed away at Sterling Point Senior Living in Princeton, on Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022, at the age of 93.

Survivors include five children and their spouses, Gary and Tammy Schmidt of Grasston, Minn., Wanda and Steve Hourscht of Big Lake, Minn., Glenda Schmidt Kimpling of Ramsey, Minn., Terry and Ruth Schmidt of Katy, Texas, and Kevin and Kim Schmidt of Faribault, Minn., 13 grandchildren,14 greatgrandchildren, one brother, Roger Evan (June) Schmidt of South Weber, Utah, one sister, Joy (Arnold) Bakker of Las Vegas, Nev., two sisters-in-law, Audrene Schmidt of Fullerton, Calif., and Becky Schmidt of Marysville, Calif.

He is preceded in death by his wife Harriet Joyce Schmidt of 71 years, his parents, Henry and Emma Schmidt, four sisters, Bernice and Pete Idsinga, Arlene and Nels Vleiger, Florence and Archie Lichtenstein, Joan and Ray Johnson, and three brothers, Lloyd, Robert and Donald.