Dennis Wayne Schmidt, died on Friday, July 17, 2026.
Visitation will be held from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. on Monday, July 27, with funeral service at 11:00 a.m. at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, 413 3rd Street East, Monticello, MN. Interment will take place immediately following the funeral service in Bailey Station Cemetery, Big Lake Township, MN. All are welcome to return to the church for lunch and fellowship.
Mr. Schmidt was born May 24, 1944, as the son of Howard and Marjorie (Schade) Schmidt in Bad Axe, MI. He was baptized into the Christian faith on June 25, 1944, at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Kinde, MI. He later confirmed his belief in our Triune God and in Jesus Christ as his Savior on June 14, 1959, at Trinity Ev. Lutheran Church of Winner, SD. He was preserved in the Christian faith to the end of his life by The Holy Spirit working through the Means of Grace—The Word of God and the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.
He began his formal education in a one-room/nine-grade schoolhouse in his hometown of Filion, MI. He continued this education in Winner, SD, when his family moved there in 1955. He graduated from Winner High School and attended several post-graduate schools for ten years, culminating in his graduation from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in Mequon, WI, in 1973 with a Master of Divinity degree. He served for 31 years in the public ministry—seven in a dual parish in South Dakota and 24 in a dual parish in Minnesota. During a seven year leave of absence from the ministry, he worked at Adee Honey Farms in Larned, KS.
God united Mr. Schmidt in marriage with Judith Waters on June 11, 1967, at Wichita, KS. Judith worked by his side as a partner in the ministry, as a faithful wife and mother as well as a substitute teacher for the rest of their careers.
He was a firm believer in and supporter of his God and Savior. Second only to his God was the beloved family with which God blessed him—his wife Judith (a prudent wife is from the LORD—Prov. 19:14), their four children (I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth—3 John 1:4), their 13 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren (I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring—Isaiah 44:3). Mr. Schmidt enjoyed the ministry, woodworking, beekeeping, downhill skiing, star gazing, walking, gardening, eating his wife’s delicious meals and deer hunting.
Mr. Schmidt is survived by his wife, Judith; his children, Stephen (Sarah) Schmidt of Litchfield, Michael (Angela) Schmidt of Watertown, SD, Kristin Gaarder of Sartell, MN, and Jill (Martin) Plocher of Manitowoc, WI; his grandchildren, Andrew (Rachel) Schmidt, Thomas (Emily) Frank, (Bailey Taitano), Natasha (Shane) Baker, Aaron Schmidt, (Alexis Horneck), Garrett Gaarder, Zachariah (Shilo) Plocher, Isaiah Plocher, Jonathan Schmidt, Mashayla Plocher, Abigail Schmidt and Kathryn Schmidt; his great-grandchildren, Conner, Oliver, Jeshua, Leonardo, Arya, Lainey and Valerie; his brother, Gary (Mary) Schmidt; his sister, Joan (Dale) Dice; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother-in-law, Arlin Busch; and two grandsons, Isaac Schmidt and Malachi Plocher.
Arrangements are entrusted to Peterson-Grimsmo Funeral Chapel in Monticello, MN. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Mr. Schmidt, please visit their website at www.peterson-grimsmochapel.com, or call (763) 295-2918.
