Lawrence Schmidt
Lawrence “Larry” Arthur Schmidt, 89, of Staples passed away July 27, 2022.
Funeral Services will be held Thursday, August 4 at the Brenny Family Funeral Chapel in Staples. Visitation will be held for friends and family on Wednesday, August 3 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Brenny Family Funeral Chapel in Staples and one hour prior to services at the funeral chapel.
Burial will take place at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery in Little Falls.
Larry was born May 19, 1933 to Lolan and Mabel (Koons) Schmidt in Morris. They moved to the Twin Cities when he was a young lad and he worked cutting asparagus in the mornings before going to school. In the summer months he would go to his grandfather’s farm in Leader where he learned many valuable lessons and came to love farming, music and animals. Larry graduated from Elk River High School in 1952 and shortly after was drafted into the U.S. Army. When the Korean War ended, he finished his tour of duty playing in the Army band. During this time, he met his wife, Donna Sterger and they were married on July 31, 1955, in Crookston. After they married, they moved to Elk River for several years where Larry was employed by different companies until C.E.P. sent him back to school in Minneapolis. He then went to work for Control Data as a manufacturing tech, until he went to school for management training. In October 1970, Larry was in an auto accident and had a brain injury that sent him back to farming. As a farmer, he would be seen out in the field or at many auctions and sales talking to others and giving or getting advice on farming. He and Donna lived in Bluffton for ten and one-half years until moving to Staples.
Larry was baptized in the Adventist faith in 1973, loved the Lord so much he rededicated himself in July 2017. He was an active member of the Staples Seventh Day Adventist Church.
Larry and Donna had seven children. Larry is survived by his wife, Donna, of 66 years; five daughters, Roxana Berens, Debra Coklas, Diane Poppenga (companion Peter Parsons), Janet (Jeffrey) Heck and Valerie Elifrits (companion Chris Brotherton); two sons, Todd (Sandra) Schmidt and Mark Schmidt; one step-sister, Jenny (Vic) Tressik; 15 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; six great-great-grandchildren and many step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren.
Larry was preceded in death by his parents, Mabel (John Riedel), Lolan (Trudy) Schmidt; two grandsons, Brent and Mandel Ferrian and three son-in-laws, Ed Ferrian, Greg Coklas and Larry Berens.
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