Thomas Joseph Schmidt

Thomas Joseph Schmidt

Thomas Joseph Schmidt, age 58, of Beal City, passed away on November 3, 2017, from a sudden cardiac arrest. He was born in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan on February 6, 1959.

He grew up in the Beal City, Michigan area, and graduated from Beal City High School in 1977. Tom was an avid sportsman and outdoor enthusiast who loved to travel, and did quite a bit of that in his lifetime. He continued to be drawn to his roots, and recently relocated back to Beal City, Michigan from the Seattle, Washington area, wanting to leave behind big city living for good. After spending more than 30 years in sales, with some marketing and finance along the way, he started a successful beef cattle operation in the Seattle area; Big T Ranch. He loved the hard work, lifestyle, and freedom it provided. Working with people was what he really enjoyed, and often described as generous, kind, and jovial. He was a jokester of sorts who got a kick out of making people laugh. After selling off the ranch this past July, he decided to slow things down a little bit. He was in the process of forming a partnership with a close friend in Seattle to start a small company, Riverside Properties. He also enjoyed hiking with his 2 beloved dogs, boating the Great Lakes, and was the kind of gourmet cook that would make Bobby Flay proud. There was nothing better than the care and love Tom gave to his family, he will be greatly missed.

Tom is survived by his wife of 38 years, Maureen, his daughter, Caressa (Clint) Smith of Spokane Washington, 3 grandsons, Gage Smith, Logan Smith and Casey Smith, all of Spokane, Washington, his sister Donna (Jim) Fearn of Galveston, Texas, his brother Tim Schmidt of Clare, Michigan, and sister Tamara Schmidt of North Plainfield, New Jersey, and many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins.

He is preceded in death by his son, David Francis Schmidt, mother Virginia Alice (Mead) Sheldon, father Captain Donald Francis Schmidt, and grandparents Henrietta (Boge) and Ernie Schmidt, and Elsie (Klumpp) Elliott and Donald Mead.

In keeping with the wishes of Tom, no funeral services will take place. A private memorial will be announced at a later date. In honor of Tom's memory, contributions can be made to St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church, Beal City Michigan.

The family has entrusted arrangements to Maier Family Funeral Home, 5483 W. Weidman Rd, Weidman, MI 48893.Telephone 1-989-644-5000. www.maierfuneralhome.com