John Schmid, age 64 of Beaver Dam, went to heaven on Sunday, February 24, 2013 at the VA Hospital in Madison.

John was born on December 27, 1948 to John and Elaine (Keel) Schmid in Beaver Dam. He grew up and attended school in Beaver Dam, until his senior year of high school where he moved to Bozeman, Montana to live with his sister. He graduated from Holy Rosary High School in 1967.

After graduating high school, John enlisted into the Navy and would proudly serve his country from 1967 to 1973 as an electronics technician fixing radios and sonar equipment during the Vietnam War.
After his honorable discharge in 1973, John moved to New Mexico to attend college. After college, he moved back to Wisconsin where he would join his father, as co-owner of Schmid Cheese in 1975. They would produce cheese at two factories in Salemville and Willow Center. In 1985, John would marry Shawn Lyon in Juneau. In 1987 John and his father sold their business.

After selling his business, John found his love for trucking and began driving Semi for Caine Trucking from 1987 until 1992. After Caine, he began working for Bresse Bleu and resumed cheese making where he became 1st runner-up Grand Champion in the US Cheese Making Championships in Green Bay, WI in 1995. After leaving Bresse Bleu in 1998, he started his own trucking service of John Schmid Trucking. He would continue trucking until 2007, when he retired due to illness.

John enjoyed many hobbies from fixing electronics to bowling, but two of his greatest passions were music and astronomy. From early on, John played the cello and also the bass guitar. He loved playing the bass so much that he started a rock band called the "Chaotics" in high school where they would tour around the mid-west and produce their very own 45 record. As for astronomy, John would use his telescopes so he could glimpse at the beautiful stars, planets, and constellations at night, fueling his love for Star Trek. One lasting memory will be John enjoying brats and cheese.

John was a proud lifetime member of the VFW, Southeastern Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association, and life time member of St. Katharine Drexel Parish.

John is survived by his loving wife, Shawn; children, Daniele (Brad) Ingram of Beaver Dam, John (Amy Gregg) Schmid of Marshfield, Jason (Megan) Schmid of Sun Prairie, and Joseph Schmid of Beaver Dam; grandchildren, Kyle and Logan Ingram, Isabella, Gabby and Grant Schmid; sisters, Emilie (Walter) Schmidt of Summerfield, FL, Marilyn Zietlow of Juneau, and Mary Jean (Kenneth) Stange of Beaver Dam; former wife, Janice Norwood, and many loving relatives and friends.

John is preceded in death by his parents, and his sister, Karen Goetz.

The family would like to send a special thank you to the staff at Trosten Haus in Beaver Dam and Dr. Holland at the VA in Madison for their loving and compassionate care.

A Memorial Service for John will be held on Thursday, February 28, 2013 at 11:00 AM at Cornerstone Funeral & Cremation Services, 135 Keller Blvd., in Beaver Dam. Visitation will take place at 10:00 AM at the funeral home. A luncheon will be served immediately following the service. Inurnment will take place at a later date at Central Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery in King, WI.

Cornerstone Funeral & Cremation Services in Beaver Dam is honored to be serving the family.