Stephen John Schmidt

Stephen J. "Smitty" Schmidt, 88, of Atlanta, died May 89, 2005. Finishing high school in Moorestown, New Jersey, he received a football scholarship to attend Oglethorpe University where he later was awarded an honorary doctorate. After graduation, he coached football and taught at Baxley High School. Smitty married his college sweetheart, Jeanne Fuller, in 1942. During WWII, he was a B-29 pilot in the Pacific theater where he flew 15 missions. In honor of his alma mater, he named his plane the "Stormy Petrel". Following the war, he again coached football and was a teacher at North Fulton High School. From there he worked at Dixie Seal & Stamp Co. and later became its owner. He was President of the Atlanta Rotary Club, Atlanta Tip-Off Club, Atlanta Braves 400 Club, President and member of the Board of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society of Georgia, and a member of Decatur First United Methodist Church where he served on its Administrative Board. At Oglethorpe, he was President of the National Alumni Association, inducted into its Athletic Hall of Fame, and was on its Board of Trustees, serving as Chairman for 14 years. In recognition of his service to Oglethorpe, a residence hall and a recreation center were named for him He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and was inducted in to the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame. His survivors are his wife, Jeanne F. Schmidt; his daughter, Leslie Schmidt Williams and husband Palmer of Tallahassee, FL; daughter-in-law, Terry Schmidt Sides and husband Pete; grandsons, Curtis Schmidt and wife Tracie, Marty Schmidt and wife Lauren, all of Atlanta, Cameron Williams of Athens; granddaughter, Fran Williams of Atlanta; one great granddaughter, Jules Alexandra Schmidt of Atlanta; and a sister, Rose Dunphy of Towson, Maryland. He was preceded in death by his son, Stephen John Schmidt, Jr. A visitation will be held on Wednesday, May 11, from 6-8 pm at A. S. Turner & Sons, 2773 N. Decatur Road. Services will be held on Thursday, May 12, at 10 am at Decatur First United Methodist Church, 300 E. Ponce de Leon Avenue. Burial will be in the family mausoleum at Floral Hills Memory Gardens, 3000 Lawrenceville Highway, Tucker, GA. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Oglethorpe University, 4484 Peachtree Road, NE, Atlanta, GA 30319 or to the M.S. Society-Georgia Chapter, 455 Abernathy Road, NE, Suite 210 Atlanta, GA 30328. A. S. Turner & Sons.