Darrel Schmit, 82
April 2, 1942 - March 22, 2025
Darrel J. Schmit, 82, of Trent, passed away on Saturday, March 22, 2025 at the Avera Dells Area Hospital in Dell Rapids. His Memorial Service will begin at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, March 28, 2025 at Messiah Lutheran Church, Flandreau. Visitation will be one hour prior to the start of the service. Inurnment will be in the Highland Cemetery, Sherman.
Darrel John Schmit was born to John and Emma Schmit on April 2, 1942, at home in Canova, SD. He was the 8th of 12 children with his twin brother being born shortly after him. The family lived in several places from Canova to Howard to BenClare to Baltic to Garretson, and they often walked two miles to school.
In 1960, he graduated from Garretson High School. He worked construction over the summer and joined the Air Force in the fall. He served in Biloxi and Omaha and was honorably discharged in 1964. He returned to Sioux Falls and worked for Gambles where he met and subsequently married Jane Miller on October 1, 1966. The following year he worked for Collins Radio in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. In November, 1967, they moved to Pierre, SD, where he worked for Gambles for the next 17 years (and spent a lot of time fishing). Gina joined the family in 1969 and Ryan in 1974.
In 1984, they returned “home” and he worked in Dell Rapids for a short time and then spent over 25 years working for Babinski Properties in Sioux Falls. He retired the first time in 2011 and then again over a decade later.
Throughout his life, he’s had wonderful gardens and completed many remodeling projects. He kept everything in working order from appliances to cars to furnaces. There was never anything he couldn’t fix.
Being blessed with five grand kids and four great grand kids brought much joy to his earthly life.
Darrel is survived by his loving wife, Jane; his daughter Gina (Byron) Jacobs; his son Ryan (Lisa) Schmit; five grand kids, Tyler Jacobs, Hannah Schmit, Tanner Jacobs, Isabel (Stephen) Ghanoo and Kendra Jacobs and four great-grands, Olivia, Liara, Jack and Sofia; one sister Helen in CO and one brother Glen in CA.
He was preceded in death by his parents, three sisters and six brothers.
Blessed be his memory.
The service will be live-streamed at https://www.facebook.com/KahlerFuneralHome starting five minutes before the start of the service.
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