Kenneth Gene Schmidt age 55 of Redwood Falls passed away Saturday, September 12, 2009 at the Redwood Area Hospital after battling cancer.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, September 15 at Grace Lutheran Church in Belview.

Visitation will be 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. Monday at the Redwood Valley Funeral Home and will continue one hour prior to services at the church on Tuesday. Interment will be in the Belview Cemetery at a later date. The Redwood Valley Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. Online condolences may be sent to www.redwoodvalleyfuneralhome.com.

Kenneth Gene Schmidt was born May 14, 1954 to Marvin and Florence (Luepke) Schmidt at Clear Lake , South Dakota .  During his childhood, the family lived in various communities.  Kenny graduated from Springfield High School in May 1972.  He joined the US Air Force later that year.  He was stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base in Rapid City SD , and was deployed to Okinawa , Japan for three years.  Ken met Deb Cole through Ken’s sister Kathy at a football game.  They became pen pals while Ken was in the service.  On May 21, 1977, Ken and Deb were married at Belview , MN where they lived for 11 years.  During this time Ken was employed at Zytec in Redwood Falls .  In the fall of 1988 the family moved to North Redwood until 2000 when they experienced their dream of moving to a lake home in Ottertail , MN .  After 23 years of working in the manufacturing environment, Ken worked with the public in retail at Crane Johnson Lumber in Perham , MN for 8 years.   They then moved back to Redwood Falls in the fall of 2008.  Ken worked at Daktronics for a short time before being diagnosed with cancer.  Ken was a member of the Belview Legion and city council as well as the Belview Fire/Ambulance Department then later became a member of North Ambulance in Redwood Falls .  His dream before retiring from North was to deliver a baby, which didn’t happen; but did get the experience helping bring his grandsons into the world.  Ken’s joy on earth was his family; his girls were the light of his life.  He also enjoyed reading, camping, woodworking and being with friends and family.  His favorite thing to do in his wood shop was to “make little pieces of wood out of big pieces of wood.”

Ken is survived by his wife Deb; daughters Joni Schmidt of Marshall, MN and Lyndsay Schmidt of New Brighton, MN; two grandsons: Kendel Schmidt and Benton Olson;  mother Florence Anderson of Belview; siblings: Deb (Roy) Pharr of Buckeye, AZ; Harley Schmidt of Belview; Kathy (Joe) Kirk of Sacred Heart; Chuck Schmidt of Belview and Jacky Schmidt of Belview; sisters in-law: JoAnn (Fritz) Amberg of Buffalo Lake; Joyce (Don) Beadell of Delhi; brother-in-law Rick (Deb) Cole of Brainard.  Also surviving are 14 nieces and nephews and 16 great nieces and nephews and many other relatives and friends.

Ken was preceded in death by his father Marvin Schmidt, and two brothers Rick and John.