Louie Schmidt, 88, Dickinson, died Wednesday, August 24, 2011 at the St. Luke’s Home, Dickinson. Louie’s Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m., Monday, August 29, 2011 at Queen of Peace Catholic Church, Dickinson, with Fr. Jeff Zwack as the celebrant. Interment will follow at St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Dickinson. Visitation will be on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Ladbury Funeral Service, Dickinson. There will be a rosary & vigil at 3 p.m., Sunday with Deacon Ron Keller presiding.

Louie was born April 23, 1923, the youngest child of Adam and Eva (Leingang) Schmidt at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Dickinson. He was raised on a farm 18 miles northeast of Dickinson where he received an eighth grade education. Life and times were difficult back then and such was the case when his mother passed away when Louie was four years old and his father at 15 years old.

Louie married Mary Raab on June 27, 1946 at St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church, Lefor. To this union were born Kenneth, Gary, Dennis and Mary Sue. After marriage they set out for Yakima, Wash. for several years where Louie worked in various farm related areas. They returned to Dickinson where he did construction work. In 1954 they moved to the John Kempf farm 18 miles southeast of Dickinson. They engaged in farming and ranching for 43 years until retiring into Dickinson in 1995. They celebrated their 65th anniversary together.

Louie liked to build and the original house on the farm was a one bedroom sod house. He set out on the task of tearing down several old houses and using the lumber to build a new house. The house was completed and the family moved in on November 23, 1963, a day easily remembered as the day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

Louie was a member of the Eagles Club, German-Hungarian Club, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, and Queen of Peace Catholic Church. He enjoyed dancing, traveling, playing cards and visiting.

Louie is survived by his wife, Mary; three children, Gary Schmidt, Dickinson, Dennis Schmidt, Dickinson, and Mary Sue (Paul) Jesperson, Richardton; daughter-in-law, Diana (Schmidt) Hilden, Billings, Mont.; 11 grandchildren, Aaron (Jeanine) Schmidt, Anita (Phillip) Amann, Amy Olheiser, Andrew (Char) Schmidt, Chad (Patty) Schmidt, Kim (Alan) Kohl, Megan (Tim) Achter, Jarad Schmidt, MaRanda (Orrin) Hardmeyer, Breckon (Amy) Jesperson and Devon Jesperson; 18 great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Kathryn Schmidt, Redmond, Wash., Ann Weiler, Fruita, Colo., Rose Raab, Dickinson, and Katherine Raab Harrington, Dickinson; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers and sisters-in-law, Joe Kuhn, Casper (Barbara) Schmidt, Mike Schmidt, Anton (Betty) Schmidt and Pete Schmidt; sisters and brothers-in-law, Katherine (Sebastian) Bernhardt, Lillian (John) Klein and Mary (Butch) Bullinger; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Adam (Theresa) Raab, Margaret (Christ) Anton, Mike (Suzanna) Raab, Steve Raab, Pete Raab and John Weiler; son, Kenneth; grandson, Keith Olheiser; and great-grandson, Zachary Amann.