Schmidt, Leonard Aaron (1958-1974)

Mennonite Brethren Herald obituary: 1974 June 14 p. 37

Birth date: 1958 March 2

text of obituary:

LEONARD AARON SCHMIDT

Leonard was born to Daniel and Marie Schmidt of Abbotsford, B.C. area on a beautiful spring morning, March 2, 1968. He was always a very active boy, even as a toddler. He attended Upper Sumas School for seven years, and was this year in grade 10 at Yale Junior High. He was not an exceptional student but he was always in the midst of fun, noise, laughter and mischieveousness,

One night when Lenny was about 10 he came to his parents, wanting to make sure that his way to heaven was charted right. They shared John 3:16 and Cor.5:17 with him. Slowly they began to notice that his faith in Christ was changing his attitudes toward life.

His family often remarked about his cheerfulness, his unique sense of humor and his willingness to help on "the" farm or in the kitchen. No one seemed to know how to make popcorn as well as he did, and they enjoyed watching the "Walton Family" on TV munching on Lenny's popcorn.

He also loved to travel. In 1972 the Schmidts took Lenny along as they toured the South Pacific Rim and visited many interesting countries. He especially enjoyed his five weeks in the jungles of Indonesia, finding no difficulty playing with his new native Dyak friends, swimming in the river, trekking from village to village, eating rice and chicken and sleeping on hard wooden floors in a longhouse.

Lenny was an active boy who loved swimming, cycling, camping, skating and skiing. In school he belonged to the "Leader's Club." He went to be with the Lord January 3, at the age of 15.

He leaves to mourn his sudden departure his parents, Daniel and Marie Schmidt; four brothers: Vic, Lawrence and fiancee Janice, David, and Orlie; two sisters: Margaret and husband John Bartel and Sheryl; grandparents: Daniel D. Schmidts and William Wienses; as well as many uncles and aunts, cousins and friends.

(We would also like to take this opportunity to thank our many friends and relatives for their kind expressions of sympathy, and the many beautiful cards and letters we received. It is impossible to acknowledge them all, though we would like to write you each a personal note. We also want to thank you for the Bibles that were donated in memory of Len and the money donated to the Dyak Memorial Fund in his memory. Dan and Mary Schmidt

God let me be a Mother.

I'm really thankful that our pastor said recently, "Not even Christian families are perfect." This gives me the liberty of sharing with you the blessings of being a mother. I'm also very thankful for a Christian husband. Together we strive to create a loving Christian atmosphere in our home.

My role as mother! What does it involve?

Being a mother meant first of all praying for my unborn children and then looking forward with joyous eager anticipation to the birth of each one of my seven lovely babies. There were hours of loving, cuddling, training, and caring for them, looking forward to that first little baby smile, feeling soft, warm, cuddly little arms clinging so tenderly to me, and hearing a tiny little voice saying, "Mommy, I love you."

As a mother I have had and still am having many delightful experiences: • arranging a bouquet of dandelions and buttercups and sweet clover to grace the kitchen table. • weeping with my little boy as he buries a favorite pet. • watching a hockey game at 1 a.m. and seeing my son take his place in the penalty box with others. • seeing a kangaroo (made in Boys Brigade) proudly sitting on the table on another Mother's Day with a love letter clipped to it that read: Dear mom, I love you mom for all you've done. Thank-you for my clothes and food. Thank-you for teaching me things when I was small.

I am glad I can help at home sometime. Even if I don't show it. I am sorry for the bad things I have done. Oh, mom, all I can say is "Thank-you for everything." Love your son, Len. (Len passed away on January 3, 1974.) • stories and prayers at bedtime, sharing with my children what Jesus meant when he said, "Let the little ones come unto me."

As a mother I often realize how utterly incapable I am of this task. No amount of training seems adequate but I'm thankful I discovered James 1:5, "If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally." Many times I've been able to put this verse to the test.

As my children grow older my responsibilities and delightful experiences take on a slightly different form: • dandelions and buttercups are loving1y replaced by Easter lilies, pink hydrangeas, or a dozen red roses to celebrate some special occasion. • I listen to exciting stories of skiing stunts performed on mountaintops. • I see the proud faces of the boys when two Canada geese land on the field and they're both brought home. • being a mother means seeing the unseen tears of my child, sensing a troubled heart. • it means making beds in the mornings, kneeling at the bedside of my son or daughter, committing them totally to God and then stepping aside and observing how God is working out his plan in their lives.

All too soon my children have grown up Bible school, working away from home, and even getting married. At this time I became uneasy concerning the welfare and future of my children, for no longer could I tuck them into bed and know that they were safe and sound. I began to sense many fears and anxieties crowding in upon me about the physical and spiritual welfare of my children.

I turned to God in prayer, and placed these fears, anxieties, and concerns before him. In a beautiful way God directed me to his Word where I read, "And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord, and great shall be the peace of thy children" (Isa. 54:3), and other verses in I Kings 8:56 and Psalms 119:89.

These verses have left a deep impact upon my life. They are a constant source of quiet strength and peace, for I am confident that he who began a good work in my children will perform it and that then their peace will be perfected.

On the evening of January 3, after I was able to grasp what had happened to Leny and realized that it was time for the Lord to call him home, it was as if the Lord himself was there in the hospital waiting-room, saying, "And great shall be the peace of all thy children." Lenny's peace has been perfected. I also know what it means to kneel at the graveside of my son on Easter morning and to hear the beautiful words, "I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead yet shall he live" (John 11:25).

I'm thankful that God chose me to be a mother. (Mrs.) Marie Schmidt