Raymond H. Schmitt, 88
Raymond H. Schmitt, 88, of Jasper, Indiana, passed away at 6:35 p.m. on Tuesday, September 29, 2015, at home.
Ray was born in Jasper, Indiana on November 29, 1926 to Albert and Catherine (Frolich) Schmitt. He married Doretha Boeglin on April 23, 1966 in Precious Blood Catholic Church.
Ray served with the U.S. Army in Signal Intelligence at the Eight Army Headquarters, Yokohama, Japan as a Technical Sergeant and as a Department of the Army Civilian.
He worked as a cost accountant with Dubois Rural Electric Co-op, Inc. In 1949, Ray was the principal promoter with a group of local businessmen who invested in and built the Family Drive-In Theater, which operated through its parent company, Midway Amusement Corporation. Ray served as director, manager, secretary, and treasurer until the theater closed in 1986. He then partnered with Earl “Bud” Salb in A-1 Self Storage mini warehouses. Later that business was sold to Kimball International and still later he managed the warehouses for Sternberg Chrysler.
He was a member of Precious Blood Catholic Church in Jasper, and their Men’s Club, where he enjoyed serving Mass.
He enjoyed gardening, especially tending to his lettuce that he shared willingly, only after cleaning each leaf. Ray also enjoyed golf, even hitting three “hole-in-ones” in his longtime hobby.
He is survived by his wife, Doretha Schmitt of Jasper; four stepdaughters, Ann Routson and husband Don of Noblesville, Margaret Gramelspacher and husband Glenn of Jasper, Cathy Siebert and husband Mike of Jasper and Patricia “Patty” Schroeder and husband John of Jasper; two stepsons, Robert “Bob” Boeglin and wife Debbie of Santa Claus and John Boeglin and wife Donna of Austin, Texas; 17 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; one sister, Gloria Jean Ruhe of Brazil; one brother, Frank Schmitt of Huntingburg.
Preceding him in death were three sisters; Josephine Jacobs, LaVerne Meyer, and Mary Bresser, and two brothers; Vincent Schmitt, and David Schmitt.
Funeral services for Raymond H. Schmitt will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, October 2, 2015, at Precious Blood Catholic Church in Jasper, with entombment to follow in Fairview Cemetery in Jasper. The American Legion Post #147 will conduct military grave site rites.
Friends may call from 9:00 a.m. until the 11:00 a.m. service time on Friday, October 2, 2015, at Precious Blood Catholic Church in Jasper.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Precious Blood Catholic Church Endowment Fund.
Online condolences may be made at www.becherkluesner.com.
