William (Bill) R. Schmidt, age 81 of Woodstock, Minnesota, formerly of Milroy, Lucan, and Redwood Falls passed away suddenly on August 20, 2024 of natural causes at his home. A Celebration of Life social gathering will be held from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. on September 13 at the Tracy Area Funeral Home in Tracy, Minnesota. A private interment will be held at St. Michael’s Cemetery in Milroy. Online condolences may be sent at www.stephensfuneralservice.com.

Bill Schmidt was born in Tracy on March 12, 1943 to Frank and Theresa (Stattelman) Schmidt. He attended Milroy High School. He married Norma (Bunny) Hansen in 1965, and they raised six children together in Lucan and Redwood Falls. Bill founded Schmidt Construction in 1967 with one bulldozer, a truck and a trailer. Through his many years of tireless hard work and business sense, the company has expanded to the full fleet of equipment and services it is today. Schmidt Construction was his life’s work.

Bill loved to travel. His travels included family trips in the motorhome, trips to Hawaii and Mexico, going to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, and visiting his relatives around the U.S. He spent time with his children and grandchildren on the pontoon on the Missouri River in Chamberlain. Bill had a great love of animals; at various times on the homestead there could be found anything from chickens and ducks to peacocks, burros and llamas. He loved to ride motorcycle, collect antiques, can pickles and peaches, and tinker in the garage. Bill spent the winter in his favorite cowboy town in Tombstone, Arizona where deer would come up and eat out of his hands. 

Bill is survived by his children: Jeffrey (Jennifer) Schmidt of Redwood Falls, Jennifer (Brad) Hauswirth of Woodbury, Jillene Schmidt of Redwood Falls, Jason Schmidt of Morton, Jonathan Schmidt of Redwood Falls, and Jessica (Darwin)  Anderson of Redwood Falls; 18 grandchildren: Samuel, Nicholas, and Benjamin (Fernanda) Schmidt, Abigail (Phil) Schmidt Huisenga, Claire (Mac) Rorke, Lucas and Matthew Hauswirth, Derek and Joseph Dahlberg, Jackson, Jayce, and Maxwell Schmidt, Reagan, Lucy, and Ryker Schmidt, Alexandra, Olivia, and Will Stoterau; one great-grandchild, Phoenix Schmidt; siblings: Dick of San Antonio, TX, Larry of Milroy, and Jackie (Gary) Lee of Bulverde, TX; and many other relatives and friends. He is preceded in death by his parents and siblings: Jim, Pat DeBlieck, Lolly, Marge, Bud, Kitty Larson, Jane Polazzo, Joe, Ron, and Terry.