Robert Alfred "Bummer" Schmidt

Other Events:

• Eby ID Number: Waterloo-111181

Notes:

Robert A. Schmidt, Editor Of Ayr News Passes Suddenly

This week's issue of the Ayr News is being published under great difficulty and sadness following the unexpected death early Tuesday morning of the editor, Robert Alfred Schmidt. His death at age 43 occurred in St. Mary's Hospital, Kitchener, following a slight stroke which he had suffered Monday night while driving to his home on the Ayr-Wrigley's Road. He had left the News office early after complaining about feeling unwell. He had left the car and started for his home only a short distance away when he collapsed. Members of the family noticed him and called a doctor who had him immediately taken to hospital, where he died some seven hours later. Mr. Schmidt's death follows by only 2 1/2 months that of his father, John A. Schmidt, who wrote the Rambling Reporter column for the Ayr News. The elder Schmidt died under almost the same circumstances in hospital. The News editor was one of the hardest-working individuals in the weekly newspaper fraternity in Ontario. He and his brother, James W., the president of The Ayr News Ltd., worked many overtime hours to build up one of the most outstanding weeklies and job printing plants for the size of the town in Canada. A measure of the success of the business may be seen in the fact that when John A. Schmidt and his brother Alfred bought the paper in 1913 the circulation was about 500. The circulation today has been built up to more than 3,000 and this is due to the business acumen of the Schmidt family in the Ayr, Bright Drumbo, Princeton, Plattsville, New Dundee and Innerkip districts. Bummer, as he was affectionately known to a wide circle of business acquaintances and friends in this wide territory, was ever obliging in servicing his advertising and job printing contracts - and seldom was a delivery schedule missed. He worked many, many hours assisting his friends with the preparation of copy and layouts. Incidentally, that nickname Bummer comes from his activities on the football field where he developed a drop kick reminiscent of the southpaw booting of one, Bummer Sterling. He was left-handed and wrote every bit of copy in longhand, and he could turn it out faster than many newspaper men with the aid of a typewriter. He had a witty style of writing-when he had time to put his hand to that type of writing. Schmidt was born in Ayr in 1924, the second of three brothers who all followed their father's footsteps into the printing and publishing business. Like his other two brothers, he was required to "work around the office" after four and on Saturdays - and sometimes Sundays - during his days at Ayr Public and Continuation Schools. These two schools were only two sources of formal education. The balance of his education he received around the Ayr News, which had a reputation for turning out knowledgeable graduates. With the semi-retirement of Mr. Schmidt, Sr., from the business, a limited company was formed with Mr. Schmidt and brother James as the principals. The business has been very demanding of the time as new printing processes were adopted and expensive machinery was added. At his death he had put in 26 years fulltime at the weekly newspaper business, having started in the News plant at age 17. He spent all of his career here except for a short stint at the Delhi News-Record. Mr. Schmidt was not a "joiner" nor did he engage in much activity of a social nature around Ayr. However, he used his pen to promote the good of the community. He was an astute student of politics of the community and as one of those newspapermen possessed of the ability "to know what was going on." He was a member of the United Church of Canada. Survivors are his wife, Grace, RR 1, Ayr; mother, Mrs. John A. Schmidt, Ayr; brothers, John T., agricultural editor of the Calgary Herald, and James W. of Ayr. The body is at Coutts Funeral Home, 96 St. Andrews St., Galt, until Thursday at 2 p.m. when funeral service will, be held. Interment will be in Ayr Cemetery. Coming home to write the "obit" of a brother and good friend has been a difficult and lonely task. I take pride in writing of only a few of the accomplishments of a life cut off too soon. - John T. Schmidt.

The Ayr News Apr 4 1968 pg 1

Robert — Grace. [Group Sheet]