Mr. Victor Schmidt, 99, husband of the late Lila Hotalen Schmidt and a resident of Cherrystone, passed away Monday, June 15, 2020, at his residence. A native of Maywood, N.J., he was the son of the late Victor George Schmidt Jr. and the late Jeanne Marie Tomalino Schmidt.
Vic was a 1937 graduate of Eastside High in Paterson, N.J., made famous by the movie “Lean on Me” which he liked to watch and compare the changes to the school from when he went there. He held a Bachelor of Science degree in wildlife conservation from the University of Maine, graduating in 1942 and was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. Vic worked in New Jersey as a wildlife biologist and in 1955 was employed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service serving in various administrative positions in Boston, Mass., Atlanta, Ga., Albuquerque, N.M., and Washington, D.C. He received the Department of the Interior Distinguished Service Award. He retired in 1976 as the Assistant to the Director of the Department of the Interior.
A U.S. Navy veteran of WWII, Vic served as a lieutenant aboard the USS LST451 during the Aleutian and Mariana Islands campaigns. A member of Holmes Presbyterian Church, Vic was an advocate for the Eastern Shore as a founding member of both the Citizens for a Better Eastern Shore and the Eastern Shore Shorekeepers. He was a recipient of the Eastern Shore Shorekeepers Award. He also received the Paul Harris Fellow Award from the Rotary.
Vic is survived by ten nieces and nephews.
To honor his wishes, no public service will be held. A private graveside service will be held at a later date in New Jersey. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Barrier Islands Center, 7295 Young St., Machipongo, VA 23405.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.doughtyfuneralhome.com
