Albert Schmidt’s legacy stretches far and wide

Every town has a person who leaves a lasting impression on their town and its residents.

For Winfield, Albert Schmidt was one of those people.

Albert Schmidt passed away Aug. 26, 2009, at the age of 92, he left behind a legacy that still impacts Winfield and the many people who knew him

Albert was born in Winfield on Jan. 1, 1917, to Joseph and Josephine Schmidt, who were first generation immigrants from Germany.

His parents had settled in Winfield in 1916 where Joe and his brother George had purchased a butcher shop. The community happily accepted the newcomers and soon they were busy operating a very successful meat market.

It was long hours and hard work, not only for Joe and his brother, but also for Joe’s son Albert and his brother Fred. Their childhood was spent with family, church school activities and playing with the neighborhood children.

The Schmidt brothers, Albert and Fred, were also expected to help around the house and at their father's meat market.

Albert recalled spending most of his time after school and on weekends at the market.

He did find time to participate in several high school activities. He excelled at sports and was inducted into the “W” club, along with other outstanding school athletes.

Albert also had a talent for acting and played leading roles in several high school plays.

He also found time to raise and train a little Dachshund named Prince which took second place at the Tri-City A. C. K. all breed dog show in Davenport.

The Schmidt family enjoyed horses and raised and sold colts. Albert said it was, “a labor of love.” One of their colts, “Crickett,” ran in the Kentucky Derby.

Albert’s interest in sports continued throughout his life and he was a loyal supporter of WMU and its athletic teams.

Klay Edwards, a graduate of WMU and a standout basketball player, remembers when Albert would treat the whole basketball team to supper at Crill’s restaurant.

Later, Klay enjoyed discussing finance and the stock market with Albert when he came into the bank where Klay works.

“He was very interesting to visit with, "said Klay, adding “He was very knowledgeable, and I enjoyed discussing finances with him.”

Irene Johnson agreed, “I remember what a great mathematical mind he had and his sense of humor.”

On April 28, 1932, Albert, along with 15 other youth, became a member of the Winfield United Methodist Church where he remained an active member until his death.

In 2006 he was recognized as a 70-year member. Years later, it was Albert who contributed half of the money needed to install the elevator in the church.

Following his graduation from WMU, Albert attended IWC while continuing to work for his father. In 1938 Albert went to Washington, D.C. to visit relatives and while there found a job similar to his work at his father’s meat market.

Then came the war, interrupting not only Albert’s life but most of the world’s.

Albert joined the military on Oct. 22, 1940, and was honorably discharged in 1945 after suffering a severe head injury that nearly ended his life.

He was a member of the Airborne Division (parachute infantry) stationed in the Philippine Islands, where he was leading his men to shore when he was wounded. He spent the next two years in various military hospitals learning to walk and talk again.

Following the outbreak of the war, some people who were not familiar with the Schmidts were suspicious of them and their heavy German accents.

It created a difficult time for the Schmidt family. Albert related that “there were vigilante groups that raised questions or were suspicious of “foreigners."

Albert and his family were aware of this, but in spite of this Albert said his father and uncle loved this country and were happy here.

In typical Albert fashion he extended his arms saying “Awk, if people don’t like what’s going on here, tell ‘em to get the hell out!”

After his reentry into civilian life and the adjustment it presented, Albert came home and continued to work at the meat market with his dad until it was sold to Vance and Elliott.

He continued to work there as manager until he applied and was appointed Winfield’s Postmaster on June 30, 1948.

It would be difficult to find anyone better suited for the position of Postmaster than Albert. His gift for figures along with a jovial personality soon made him a beloved part of the community.

He brightened everyone’s day with a cheerful greeting when they came to get their mail.

During Albert’s tenure as Postmaster, many changes were made within the Postal Service.

In 1954 call boxes were installed in the post office and rates went from 25 cents (which had been in effect since 1907) to 35 cents per quarter.

ZIP codes came into use in 1963. That was also the year that the post office moved into a new building at its present location, a project Albert had helped to bring to Winfield.

A confirmed bachelor, Albert had settled into a comfortable routine, unaware that Bonnie Meyer, new to Winfield, who came into the post office to inquire about a coat she had ordered, would change his orderly life.

Bonnie, an outgoing person with a great sense of humor, had just been hired as the high school’s new English teacher. They were married on Feb. 12, 1956.

Later Bonnie confessed that when she met Albert in the post office that day, she “sure didn’t think of him as a prospective husband.”

They were married until Bonnie’s death in1979. They were the parents of two children, Sue

Ann, who died in infancy and a son, Johnathon.

Sadly, Jonathon was killed in a single-car accident in the early morning hours of Feb. 23, 1980, when his car left the road as he was rounding the curve north of Winfield headed for Wyman. It hit a culvert and burst into flames.

This happened less than a year after Bonnie’s death. Unbeknownst to many of her friends Bonnie had been suffering from an enlarged heart and had been told by her doctor she didn’t have long to live.

A short time after Bonnie’s death Albert’s mother-in-law, Katherine Meyer, passed away leaving Albert without any immediate family.

Over the years Albert had become close friends with John Carty and his wife Deloris. They stepped in to help fill the void in Albert’s life, along with other people who had come to know and love Albert.

With their support, along with a strong faith Albert was able to overcome life’s challenges and move on with his life.

Doris Carty remembers that Albert became somewhat of “dandy” after retiring from the post office. She thought he probably was tired of having to wear a uniform day after day he was ready to change his style of dress.

He began wearing white suits, and along with a well-manicured mustache, later joined by a goatee, Deloris told him he looked like Colonel Sanders.

Albert enjoyed going to a particular restaurant in the Quad Cities, sometimes alone and sometimes with the Cartys.

Deloris said he liked his steaks so rare she thought he might have gotten them right off the cow. Albert was well acquainted with the restaurant's staff and looking like a British gentleman in his “snappy attire” it is easy to believe they might have treated him like royalty. And no doubt he was generous with his appreciation.

Albert had developed many interests through the years, and he continued to pursue them.

His friendship with the Cartys developed when Albert went to John, up and coming lawyer in Winfield, asking him how he should invest money he had gotten from the sale of a small farm he had owned. John, who had become interested in the stock market after hearing that a woman in Winfield had “made a ton of money” in the stock market.

Hearing this, John, who was looking to improve his financial condition, decided to get involved in the stock market too and in the following years John had great success with his investments.

This is what encouraged John to suggest to Albert he might want to invest his money in the stock market. Albert did and his success not only benefited Albert, but his generosity touched many Winfield residents.

Albert generously invested a large portion of his money, as well as his time and talents, in many areas of Winfield and beyond.

He was an active member of the Winfield Methodist Church, the Chamber of Commerce, and served on several boards including Sunrise Terrace, Farmers National Bank and the Methodist church.

Without Albert’s financial help it is doubtful if the Winfield United Methodist Church could have afforded the elevator.

He was a proud supporter of his Alma Mater, WMU, and generously donated funds to its library, music and once to the Art Department. He was also a big booster of the school’s athletic teams.

Cindy Buffington, a retired WMU librarian, recalled the time Albert “brought a huge pile of financial prospectus to the school to let the students study them.

"Albert was always happy to share his knowledge as education was very important to him,” Buffington said.

“He always had great financial advice,” said Emily Burgus, who became acquainted with Albert when he was a resident at Sunrise Terrance. “He told me to live 10 percent below your means and save, save, save.”

Others who shared memories of Albert were Nancy Nordyke Nelson who remembers dancing with Albert during the dollar dance at her wedding.

Trish (Phelps) Waterman and Cindy Buffington recalled what a “terrific neighbor” he was. Larry (Fred) Gerling remembers the fragrance of his pipe and that he was always a “snappy dresser” and appeared very professional.

Albert and John became lifelong friends. They not only had a business relationship, but they also both enjoyed hunting, fishing, sharing investment strategies, social activities, and later became collectors of fine arts.

They also shared a common bond as war veterans, both having survived serious wounds while serving in the military.

While Albert and John’s friendship thrived, their wives, Bonnie and Doris, discovered they also had much in common.

Doris was already a collector of antique glassware when Bonnie decided she would like to start a collection. It was Doris who introduced Bonnie to the world of glassware.

Not only did Bonnie’s interest take off, but after reading a book about antiques that Doris had loaned Bonnie, Albert decided to enter the world of antique collectors.

The two couples often traveled far and wide, sometimes accompanied by their friend Jim Honts, who, with his wife Delores, owned a grocery store here.

The group had a friendly rivalry when it came to bidding on items. The men also enjoyed playing jokes on each other.

One joke, which centered on Jim, ended with Albert receiving a tongue lashing that, as Doris described, “Would make a sailor blush.”

Fortunately, it didn’t jeopardize their friendship.

Albert amassed a large collection of various kinds of glassware.

Judith Cline, a former Winfield resident, remembered that Albert had a great collection of glassware, this included cracker jars which he liked to share. He enjoyed telling a story about where he got each one.

He once quipped that his insurance company would not be happy to know he was taking some of his collections out to show to various groups. He brought items wrapped in bubble wrap and handled them with great care. Most people preferred to look, but not touch!

The war was in Albert’s past, but he had a reminder of his service hanging on his living room wall.

His comrades respected him so much they had presented him with a Japanese Officers sword that they had captured.

Iowa Wesleyan College hosted some Japanese exchange students and Albert met several of them while they were in Winfield.

He invited them to his home and explained how he had received the sword. The name of the officer was inscribed and visible so Albert asked the students if they would try to locate the family.

They agreed and much to Albert’s delight the family was found, Albert packed up the sword and returned it to its family. In May 2000, Albert got a tape from a Japanese News broadcast from the family thanking Albert for the return of the sword.

Cathy Lauderdale, who owned the Beacon at the time, said “You could just tell by his expression how moved and appreciative he was to have the family heirloom back to its proper owners.”

Judith Cline remembered him as kind and generous with his humor and acceptance of other.

These traits endeared him to people who were fortunate enough to have known him. Albert also had a serious side and when he set his mind to accomplish something, he usually accomplished it.

Albert had a gift of persuasion, and others could seldom win an argument with Albert.

He had an uncanny way of making people see things from his point of view. He was always willing to share his ideas and advice and people respected them.

Albert was instrumental in securing Sunrise Terrace Care Center for Winfield. He was treasurer of the founding committee to build the care center.

When it came to raising money, no one was better at it than Albert. He was able to persuade people to open their pocketbooks to help support a worthy cause.

Albert enjoyed attending dance recitals with the Carty’s when they went to watch their granddaughter perform in the Iowa Wesleyan Chapel.

While he enjoyed their performances, he did not enjoy the atmosphere in which they were held, and Albert, being Albert, did something about it. He donated money to IWC to completely renovate the chapel.

Today students and visitors can see the plaques placed in IWC recognizing the contributions Albert made to the college, which has been renamed Iowa Wesleyan University.

As Albert approached his 90s, age and health issues began to catch up with Albert.

John and Doris became eyes and ears for him and chauffeured Albert to and from Iowa City for doctors appointments.

Finally, complications from a hip issue made it necessary for Albert to enter Sunrise Terrace, the place he had helped establish so many years before.

Not one to dwell on self-pity, Albert took his outgoing and caring personality with him. Those qualities along with his unique sense of humor and concern for others soon made Albert a favorite of both staff and visitors.

“Albert was always so sweet. He always enjoyed seeing my daughter when I brought her into the nursing home as a baby,” said Emily Burguss.

He always greeted people with his warm smile, and he never tired of sharing stories of yesteryear.

A Sunrise employee recalled how Albert liked to advise people on the stock market.

“He checked it every day.”

He also liked to reminisce about the days he worked in his father’s meat market, describing him as a “sweet, generous man.”

Albert passed away in August of 2009 at the age of 92, leaving behind a trail of footprints in the hearts of the people who knew and loved him.

Before Albert passed away, he had consulted John about whom he wanted to receive his estate.

His first thought was the University of Iowa. However, after visiting with two representatives from the university he told John he, “was not going to give them a damn penny.”

Apparently, they did not see eye-to-eye with Albert as to how he wanted the money spent.

After further discussion with John, it with John he decided to give a generous donation of $1 million to IWC.

The money was used to establish a course of instruction entitled “Aspects of Investing” which had led to Albert’s financial success.

Ironically, the first person to be named as the inaugural holder of the Schmidt Chair was Mr. Herbert Schmidt, no relation to Albert.

To include all of the people and places Albert touched throughout his life would take a book.

His kindness, generosity, love for life and the people in it would be hard to duplicate.

As a friend of Albert’s and writer of a memoir about Albert, Bob Lindell (deceased) said it best. “He was well-respected as ‘giver’ of his time, talents and money. A Millionaire? Maybe on paper, but he would rather be a valued friend than labeled a ‘millionaire.’”

Thanks to all of the people who provided information for this article. Deloris Carty provided a wealth of information about Albert and their friendship.

A portion of information also came from the stories Bob Lindell had written about Albert and his family. These were given to me by Deloris. Thanks to the others who also shared their memories.