Fredrich Douglas Schmittler of Malden, Missouri, 82, formerly of Grayville, Illinois went home to Jesus peacefully with his loved ones by his side on September 8, 2024, in Fincastle.
He was born on May 6, 1942, in Grayville, Illinois, to Jerald Clifton (J.C.) Schmittler and Carolyn Hope (Crome) Schmittler. His grandparents were Frank and Mary (Storm) Schmittler of rural Grayville, and Lyman and Elizabeth (Lizzie) (Shepherd) Crome of rural Albion.
Mr. Schmittler attended Murray State University, formerly Murray State College. The first in his family to attend college, he graduated with a B.S. in Industrial Arts and General Business in January 1966, and he was awarded his Master of Science in Industrial Education in 1969. Mr. Schmittler started his 39-year career in education at the Malden, MO., schools in January of 1966 before starting at Gideon in 1967 where he retired in 1997. Mr. Fred continued to teach until 2005. It was there at GHS, the home of the Gideon Bulldogs, that Mr. Fred, to his students, touched the hearts and minds of so many young people over a career spanning five decades. He fully retired from the Gideon School District #37 in 2005. Mr. Fred was the Student Council Sponsor, Junior Class Sponsor, and oversaw many Homecomings, Proms and concession stands. He was honored in 2022 as the Grand Marshal for the GHS Homecoming Labor Day Parade by the class of 1972. In the early years he kept the books at all the home basketball games and enjoyed square dancing with his family and in later years he installed volleyball net sleeves in gym floors all over the Bootheel of MO and taught computer education. Students say he always connected with a smile, could make them laugh and was never mad. Mr. Fred was so very proud of the many students that learned woodshop, drafting, metal shop, and graphic arts just to name a few of his classes. He would say that “some were better skilled at woodworking than others!” and he still kept in touch with many of his students over the years. Fred humbly told his children that his greatest accomplishment, other than being a parent, was being an educator at Gideon High School. He was a member of the Malden (and Gideon) United Methodist Church, and he loved music, singing in the choir, gardening, cooking, fishing, flowers and spending time with friends in Malden and Gideon before recently moving to Fincastle to be closer to his grandchildren. He attended Orchard Hills Church in Roanoke with family and new friends in Virginia.
Survivors include daughter, Angela R. Sengson (John) of Fincastle; son, Douglas S. Schmittler (Kathy) of Oklahoma City, OK, grandchildren, Noah Pace (Bella) Frederick, MD, Harper Pace, Charlottesville, Barrett Pace Fincastle, Justin Schmittler, Virginia, (and nieces and nephews from Malden, MO (Cotton & Diana Bennett family Jeremy, Stephanie, Christopher) and nieces and nephews from Mountain Home, AR (Smith family Kim, Patti, Cathy and Chris).
Preceding him in death, his beloved Marilyn Douglas of Malden, MO, sister Elouise Caruthers of Mountain Home, AR, brother John Schmittler of Kennett, MO and sister Marietta Schmittler of Grayville, IL.
Services are planned for Sunday, October 13, 2024 at Landess Funeral Home in Malden with visitation from 4-6:30 p.m., followed by a memorial service starting at 6:30 p.m. The burial will be Monday morning, October 14 at Oak Grove Cemetery in Grayville, IL.
Special thanks to Good Sam Hospice, Roanoke and Simpson Funeral Home in Roanoke.
Please consider donating to the Gideon Alumni Association, c/o Gideon High School, P.O Box 373, Gideon, MO 63848, in memory of Mr. Schmittler. Arrangements are handled by Landess Funeral Home in Malden, MO.
