Herman Walter Schmidt Jr., 86, of Port St. Lucie Florida, died Thursday, September 9, 2021. "Smitty" as he was affectionately known, was born to the late Herman and Allie Schmidt on January 26, 1935 in New York, New York. He graduated from George Washington High School in 1953. In the summer of 1955, he pushed his draft date up and was inducted into the United States Navy as an E-1. During his boot leave from the National Training Center in Bainbridge, Maryland, he married his hometown sweetheart, Sheila Maura Caulfield on the 21st of February, 1956. They lived together through many cruises and deployments, from Key West, FL to Brunswick, Maine throughout his 20 years in the Navy. After his military retirement, he worked as a corrections officer while simultaneously attending college and completed two (2) Associate Degrees, Bachelors Degree followed by his Master Degree at St. Leos College. He was a Computer Systems Engineer where he supported both the DDG-51 Ships Design Program and subsequently the Test Team for the Aegis Weapons Systems Program in Bath, Maine. Smitty was an active member of the Knights of Columbus of the Holy Family Catholic Church in Port St. Lucie, FL.

Smitty was blessed in many ways to have the love of his hometown sweetheart, Sheila, for over 66 years and spending most of his life close to the sea as well as a good deal of his life around his second passion, aviation. He is survived by his wife, Sheila, of Port St. Lucie, his daughter, Barbara Lee Schmidt Washington, his two sons, Robert William Schmidt and Brian Eugen Schmidt, his four grandchildren, Melvin Lewis Washington, Michelle Lynnette Washington, Jeffrey Schmidt and Conor James Schmidt and his only great-grandchild, Malachi Lee Washington.

A visitation will be held on Thursday, September 16, 2021 at 11:00 am at Forest Hills Funeral Home, 2001 SW Murphy Road, Palm City, FL 34990 followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 1:00 pm at Holy Family Catholic Church, 2330 SE Mariposa Avenue, Port St. Lucie, FL 34952.

Anyone wishing to send the family a message or share a story is asked to visit Herman's memorial page at: www.coxgiffordseawinds.com