The University of Alberta banner is flying at half-mast from November 16-18, 2021 in remembrance of Alfred R. Schmidt, professor emeritus in the Faculty of Extension.
It is with devastating sorrow the family of Alfred Schmidt announces his passing at the age of 83. He is survived by his loving wife Fern, children: loving daughter Marlice (Chris); best friend and devoted son Conrad and granddaughter Muriella, and sister Johanna Ritter and family. There will be a private family funeral. Interment will be at Trinity Lutheran Cemetery, Ellerslie Road, Edmonton. Alfred was born in the resort town of Ciechocinek, Poland to Emma and Rudolf Schmidt. He survived an illness shortly after birth that led to a lifetime of enduring heart disease. He never spoke of these conditions and led an active, physical life. After fleeing the Soviets in 1945, in horse drawn covered wagons, with his sister and mother's Rosenke family, they lived for a year in Breddin, East Germany. It was here that Alfred survived a severe typhus epidemic. Eventually Rudolf was able to get his family out of East Germany with the help of Mennonite connections and settled in Eddigehausen, West Germany. In 1952, the family immigrated to Turin Alberta to work on a sugar beet farm. Alfred remembered going from the train station in Lethbridge to the farm, as he and his father sat in the back of a pickup truck and looked at each other knowing that they were in an exotic cowboy country now, while the truck drove through a coulee. At the end of 1953, the family moved to Edmonton. In high school he realized art was his passion, after the art teacher entered him in the Edmonton Exhibition art contests in which he would win first prize. After high school Alfred went to the Alberta College of Art and became a full-time artist. A year after graduating, in 1963 Alfred went on a 6-month art gallery tour of Europe with his classmate Sylvain. There were many adventures, especially when Alfred ran with the bulls in Pamplona and that night had his first meal of Paella. In the 1960's Alfred and his friends Sylvain, Harry, and Ihor started an art studio in downtown Edmonton. In 1966 Alfred spent a summer fire season at Nose Mountain fire tower. He created art, read philosophy, and formulated his own theories while isolated on the mountain top. In 1967, Alfred and Fern Bassie were married, and Alfred soon began working at the Edmonton Art Gallery as a curator. They had a daughter Marlice and not long after, a son, Conrad. Alfred next went to work at the University of Alberta. He taught for 30 years becoming Full Professor and then Professor Emeritus in 2000 when he stopped teaching. He taught full days, juried art exhibitions, and often stayed up late in the night painting in his studio for his own upcoming exhibitions. Every summer Alfred took Fern, Marlice and Conrad on exciting trips in North America and Europe. He enjoyed travelling and painting across western Canada. Alfred painted abstraction in the 1960's, then moved to landscape in watercolors and oils, eventually beginning a new style of large brush and ink landscape drawings in the 2000's. Every summer Alfred, Fern and Conrad would go to an isolated cabin for painting trips. Alfred became an Opa to his beloved granddaughter Muriella in 2011. He was overjoyed to have ten years with Marlice and Chris' daughter. He cherished his time with her for ice cream, picnics, camping trips, and playing in parks. They share a love for creating art. As an expression of sympathy memorial contributions may be made in Alfred's name to Trinity Ev. Lutheran Church, 10014-81 Ave NW Edmonton, Alberta T6E 1W8. Alfred became a member of Trinity Lutheran Church with his family in 1954. Alfred passed away from a blood infection. Memories Eternal.
Obituary from the Edmonton Journal.
For information about lowering the University of Alberta banner, visit the In Memoriam webpage.