George S. Schmidt III ’50

George died May 2, 2018, in West Hartford, Conn.

Born in York, Pa., he graduated from school there. He served as an Air Force navigator from 1943 to 1945 and then entered Princeton, where his father was in the Class of 1918. He belonged to Elm and majored in mechanical engineering.

After several jobs in his hometown, George joined General Electric in Schenectady, N.Y., in 1962. He was awarded several patents while working there. He retired in 1988 but continued as a consultant until 1997.

In later years, he pursued his “greatest obsession” of fly-fishing. From his second home in Nantucket, he plied the island flats in spring and fall for bluefish and bass. He wrote at our 50th reunion, “Fortunately, KT [his wife] and family all seem to love Nantucket Island, too.”

A dedicated conservationist, he donated 11 acres along a New York trout stream to a conservancy, ensuring canoeing access to the Schmidt Meadow Preserve.

Although George was shot in the foot by a friend in a 1950s hunting accident, he always said he “lived a lucky life.”

George is survived by his sister, two sons, two daughters, six grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. KT, his wife of 63 years, died in 2012.