Dennis 'Denny' John Schmidt
August 18, 1944 — April 30, 2023
Dennis “Denny” John Schmidt passed away the evening of Sunday, April 30, 2023, at St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, due to injuries sustained in an automobile accident. Memorial services will be held on Saturday, May 20, 2023, from 2 - 4 p.m. at The Legacy Center at Murdoch-Linwood located at 520 Wilson Avenue SW in Cedar Rapids. Military Honors: American Legion Morrison-Schrader Post 296, Deep River, Iowa. A livestream of the memorial service may be accessed on the funeral home website tribute page for Denny under “photos and videos or media,” starting at 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 20, 2023.
Denny was born on August 18, 1944, in the town of Faribault in Rice County Minnesota. He was the oldest of three children born to Donald W. Schmidt and Shirley C. Schmidt (Henderson). After graduating from high school, Denny enlisted in the Navy during the Vietnam War, serving on the USS Southerland and the USS Piedmont. After completing his tours of duty, Denny earned his radio operators license and started his career at Rockwell Collins.
Denny married the love of his life, Linda S. Fredericksen, in 1969, building their life together in Cedar Rapids. He started working at Northwestern Bell (CenturyLink/Lumen) shortly after, and remained there until retiring at the age of 70. Denny had a strong work ethic, rarely missing a day on the job and taking on as much overtime as he could manage.
Denny loved to work with his hands and had the mind of an engineer. He was continually learning, building, and striving to find ways to make things better. If there wasn’t a tool available to perform a task, he would design and make one himself. He was an avid carpenter and metal worker and truly enjoyed helping out his friends, family, and neighbors with tasks, projects, and repairs. He greatly enjoyed spending time outdoors fishing, camping, and hunting.
Denny is survived by his wife, Linda; sons, Eric (Jennifer) and Neil (Sarah); daughter, Sara; brother, Steve Schmidt (Bonnie) and their children, Quincy and Dustin (Grace); sister, Andrea; as well as five grandchildren; and a great-nephew.
Denny was born on August 18, 1944, in the town of Faribault in Rice County Minnesota. He was the oldest of three children born to Donald W. Schmidt and Shirley C. Schmidt (Henderson). After graduating from high school, Denny enlisted in the Navy during the Vietnam War, serving on the USS Southerland and the USS Piedmont. After completing his tours of duty, Denny earned his radio operators license and started his career at Rockwell Collins.
Denny married the love of his life, Linda S. Fredericksen, in 1969, building their life together in Cedar Rapids. He started working at Northwestern Bell (CenturyLink/Lumen) shortly after, and remained there until retiring at the age of 70. Denny had a strong work ethic, rarely missing a day on the job and taking on as much overtime as he could manage.
Denny loved to work with his hands and had the mind of an engineer. He was continually learning, building, and striving to find ways to make things better. If there wasn’t a tool available to perform a task, he would design and make one himself. He was an avid carpenter and metal worker and truly enjoyed helping out his friends, family, and neighbors with tasks, projects, and repairs. He greatly enjoyed spending time outdoors fishing, camping, and hunting.
Denny is survived by his wife, Linda; sons, Eric (Jennifer) and Neil (Sarah); daughter, Sara; brother, Steve Schmidt (Bonnie) and their children, Quincy and Dustin (Grace); sister, Andrea; as well as five grandchildren; and a great-nephew.
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