Gary Carl Schmidtke

Gary Carl Schmidtke was born December 30, 1938, in Tacoma, Pierce County, Washington.  He was the son of Heinrich (Henry) Schmidtke and Mabel Ruth (nee Gullickson) Schmidtke.  His baptism was at Parkview EV Lutheran Church in Washington on December 23, 1945.  He was confirmed on March 29,1953, at the Good Shepherd Church in Tacoma, Washington. 
Gary Carl Schmidtke died on August 6, 2015, and is now at rest and free from the cancer that finally took him after two and a half years of surgery, treatment and pain.  His is survived by his wife Delores McDaniels Schmidtke.  His sister Nancy Prader and brother-in-law Joe had been visiting from California in the days prior to his death.  Gary is also survived by four children, two step-children, five grandchildren one step-grandchild.  He is preceded in death by his parents and his first wife Ardell “Rusty” L. (nee Mortensen) Schmidtke. 
Gary served in the United States Coast Guard per document August 16, 1962, serial number 2039-440 E-3 Fireman.  He also worked with the Army Corps of Engineers in Alaska on the John Lock and Dam and on the locks in the Panama Canal.  On March 28, 1964, Anchorage, Alaska experienced a 9.2 magnitude earthquake, which devastated the towns along the Gulf of Alaska.  When the major cleanup and engineering began, Gary Schmidtke was deemed one of the chosen to work on the recovery project.  He worked in the Houston, Texas, area for many years in the oil and gas industry as a contract piper with an established reputation.  After retirement his interests included traveling the United States, researching and publishing genealogy and indulging his model train hobby.  He also raised cattle and nourished a fruit tree orchard. 
Gary Carl Schmidtke’s cremains will be laid to rest at the beautiful Houston National Cemetery in a private ceremony.  Friends are invited to visit the site at their convenience.