Darwin Schmidt

Darwin "Darv or Smokey" Schmidt, age 57 of Sauk Centre passed away on Saturday evening, March 27, 2010 at the V.A. Medical Center in Minneapolis, MN where he fought a brave battle with cancer.
Darwin was born on April 27, 1952 in Springfield, MN to Delfin and Olga (Kreft) Schmidt. He attended school in Osakis and then in 1969 enlisted in the Army and received his honorable discharge in 1972. He did factory work for a time and then began driving truck all around the country. On August 30, 1985 he married Cherry (Villeburn) Schmidt in Sisseton, South Dakota. Darv switched from truck driving to construction work and in 1994 began I & S Concrete and Construction.
He was an avid hunter and fisherman. He also loved anything to do with motorcycles. During the fall he enjoyed canning vegetables from the garden and was especially good at making homemade sauerkraut. He also liked to play cards and Yahtzee. He will be dearly missed by his family and friends.
He is survived by his wife, Cherry of Sauk Centre; daughters, Kerry Mikkelson and Julie (John Stanz) Dolman, both of Alexandria, stepdaughters, Kristi Schmidt and Robyn (Travis) Petermeier, both of Sauk Centre; 8 grandchildren; his mother, Olga Schmidt of Osakis; a brother, Jim (Sally) Schmidt of Sauk Centre; sisters, Cindy (Craig) Soltis of Royalton, Kathy (Jeff) Waltzing of Crystal, Brenda (Art 'Junior') Dougherty of St. James.
Darv is preceded in death by his son, Michael Schmidt; his father, Delfin Schmidt and a sister, Linda Jane Schmidt.
Funeral services were held on Thursday, April 1, 2010 at 11:00 am at the Osakis Lutheran Church with Rev. Ron Calvert officiating. Interment was at the Oak Hill Cemetery in Melrose, MN. Honorary pallbearers were his grandchildren. Active bearers were Blaine Formo, Dennis Brever, Tom Pettit, Harvey Imdieke, Arnie Schlosser and Rick Johnson.
Memorials are preferred to the family.
Arrangements by the Roy-Hetland Funeral Home in Osakis, MN.