Ruth Louise    (Fischer) Schmidt

Ruth Louise (Fischer) Schmidt, 80, of Longview Drive, Brookfield, formerly of New Fairfield, wife of the late Albert W. “Nibs” Schmidt, died April 18.

She was born in Milford on January 27, 1924, daughter of the late Dr Henry C. and Anna (Gerstenmaier) Fischer.

She will be sadly missed by her daughters: Diane Schmidt Wardenburg of the Lathrop School of Dance in Newtown and her husband Joel, both of Brookfield; and Deborah Hollrah and her husband Dean of Danbury; her granddaughters: Kaitlin Louise and Megan Elizabeth of Danbury; and her grandson, Caleb Albert of Brookfield.

She is also survived by a brother, Edward J. Fischer of Marion, Ill.; her sister, Elizabeth F. Brownlow and her husband Robert, of Lenox, Mass.; her sister-in-law, Nancy W. Fischer, of New Fairfield; her brother-in-law, John Niland, of Woodbury; as well as several nieces and nephews.

Besides her parents and husband, she was predeceased by her brother, Paul H. Fischer, DDS.

Ruth was a graduate of Immanuel Lutheran School, Danbury, attended Danbury High School, and graduated from Mary A. Burnham Preparatory School in Northhampton, Mass. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa at Endicott College, Beverly, Mass., and also attended the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Hygiene, Philadelphia, Penn. She attended McAllister School of Mortuary Science and was a licensed funeral director.

She and her husband owned and operated the Albert W. Schmidt Funeral Home in Danbury for more than 25 years. She was previously a dental hygienist for her father, brother, Dr Albert Kohn, and until her passing, for Dr Christian Blejan at Contemporary Dentistry in Danbury.

Ruth was a lover of music and encouraged the arts and music in her family. She was a lifelong member of Immanuel Lutheran Church, and a descendant of founding Pastors William A. Fischer and Edward H. Fischer. She served in a variety of different functions as a volunteer at Immanuel Lutheran Church and School, and the American Red Cross. She was also a member of the Connecticut Dental Hygienists Association.

Funeral services were held at Immanuel Lutheran Church, 26 West Street, Danbury, on April 21.

Burial followed in Wooster Cemetery, Danbury.

Memorial contributions in may be made to Immanuel Lutheran School, in care of Immanuel Lutheran Church, 26 West Street, Danbury CT 06810.

The Newtown Bee        April 23, 2004