Obituary of Henry George Schmidt

Henry George Schmidt - 1924 - 2009 Henry George Schmidt was born in Rencafki, Poland. He was the eldest of seven children. At the age of four years, his family emigrated to Canada. After living in Saskatchewan for a short while, they moved to Barrhead, Alberta area to start farming. Henry spent his youth helping to support his family as a farm hand, cattle herder and a hard worker on thrashing crews. At the age of 18, after being rejected by the army due to a heart condition, he rode the rails to Dawson Creek to work on the Alaska Highway. Later, returning to Barrhead, Henry married Elfrieda Bilau and fathered three children, Brian, Wayne and Rosalyn. After becoming an automotive mechanic, he operated service stations, first in Manola, Alberta, and later in Edmonton. After a venture into house building, Henry returned to Dawson Creek in 1957 to build a motel. The following year, his family joined him. Although the motel operated at mile one of the Hart Highway for many years, Henry started looking for a new challenge almost immediately. Starting with a single piece of equipment, he returned to the heavy construction profession he had gotten a taste of years earlier on the highway. Along with his long time partner, Martin Luck, and later, his two sons, he operated Braemer Construction and H.E. & H. Developments until his retirement. Over a span of 40 years, he installed many miles of water and sewer lines, not only in Dawson Creek, but in most towns in northeastern B.C. Even as his failing health prevented him from taking an active role, he still took an active interest in the business. On a daily basis, he would check in to see what was happening. In the ‘70’s after Henry and Elfrieda, went their separate ways, Henry developed a taste for travelling. With his newly acquired pilot’s license, he and Brian flew around North America on a regular basis. Later, he and Roberta (Bobbie) Shore, who was to become his long time partner, travelled to numerous corners of the world, including Europe, North, Central and South America, Australia and the South Pacific. Throughout Henry’s life, he loved his family, enjoyed a challenge, worked hard and accomplished much. In everything he did, he did it his way with a strong, no nonsense personal drive that will be long remembered. Henry Schmidt passed away November 2, 2009 at the age of 85. A Memorial Service was held on November 12, 2009 at Bergeron Funeral Chapel, Dawson Creek, British Columbia.