Noel Edward Schmidt, age 71 of Bloomington, MN, passed peacefully at Our Lady of Peace Hospice on July 20, 2019 after a long battle with a rare form of cancer. He is survived by his daughters, Karen (Bill) Klinzing of West Lakeland, MN, Laura (Jeff), Wangensteen of Woodbury, MN and Rebecca Witikko of Woodbury, MN; grandchildren Kathleen, Emma, Lucia, Chloe, Robyn, Sonja, Sofia, Jackson, Quinn, Marie, and Melanie, his mother Frances Schmidt (MN) , and his siblings, Gary Schmidt (PA/AZ), Susan Farden (WA), and Diane Blacher (WI). He is preceded in death by his father George, wife Kristine, daughter Julie Shink (from Plymouth, MN), and grandchildren William and Hannah.
Noel was born Des Moines, December 21, 1947 and was the oldest of 4 siblings. He attended high school in Cedar Falls, IA and went on to get a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Iowa State University. He was married to Kristine Stevens of Hudson, IA March 1, 1969 for 44 years. He entered the Navy as an officer-in-training in 1971. The Navy stationed him at the Pentagon to work on the first internet and achieved the position as lieutenant Commander in the Navy while also obtaining a Master’s degree in Computer Engineering from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. In 1975, he took a job at Sperry Univac which led he and his wife Kris to move to Bloomington, MN where they raised 4 children who attended Bloomington Public Schools. He was in the U.S. Navy Reserves and also worked at Honeywell until moving his career to a new, growing company, Architecture Technology Corporation, where he eventually became the Vice President and made frequent trips to Washington D.C. to work on their company’s contracts with the Federal Aviation Administration, amongst others. He enjoyed fishing, his annual fishing trip with his buddies, flying his plane with his private pilot’s license, large family gatherings for holidays, researching family genealogy, travelling, and especially going to the family cabin which he built on Woman Lake in Longville, MN. After the death of his wife in 2013, Noel enjoyed the companionship of Susan Anne Fowler (Crystal). They spent 4 years together enjoying the cabin and traveling.
The memorial service will be held Wednesday, August 14th, 1:00 PM (visitation), 2:00 PM (service) at First Presbyterian Church, 6201 Osgood Ave N, Stillwater, MN 55082, led by retired Pastor Bill Chadwick, Noel’s friend and worship leader from his days as member of Oak Grove Presbyterian in Bloomington, MN. Memorial donations may be made to Our Lady of Peace Hospice, 2076 St. Anthony Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55104.