Honoring the Life of William Mark Schmidt

William Mark Schmidt, age 72, of Burnsville, passed away peacefully at home on Sunday, September 28, 2025.

A visitation will be held on Thursday, October 9th from 4:00 – 8:00 PM at White Funeral Home, 14560 Pennock Ave, Apple Valley, MN. Funeral services will take place on Friday, October 10th at 11:00 AM at Church of the Risen Savior, 1501 E County Road 42, Burnsville, MN, with an additional visitation beginning at 10:00 AM. Interment will follow at Calvary Cemetery, 27200 Scotch Lake Road, Cleveland, MN.

Bill was born on April 2, 1953, to Bill and Harriet (McCabe) Schmidt. He grew up on a beautiful family farm in Le Center, MN, the fifth of nine siblings in a large and loving household. It was there that his lifelong love for human connection and the outdoors began - passions that followed him through every season of life.

A 1971 graduate of Le Center High School, Bill went on to study manufacturing engineering, building a successful career and forming lifelong relationships while at Continental Machines and Ritchie Engineering.

On May 22, 1976, he married Marlene Regenscheid of St. Peter. Together, they made their home in Burnsville, raising four children in a house filled with laughter, warmth, and unconditional love. Their neighborhood became an extension of their family — a tightly woven community where Bill was a beloved friend, a dependable helping hand, and a fixture at gatherings. Bill was an extraordinary husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, neighbor, and friend.

Bill had a deep love for sports, a passion he shared through years of coaching and cheering from the sidelines. He also found joy in life's simple pleasures: a beautifully manicured lawn, quiet mornings on the golf course, fishing trips, hunting in the woods, and spending quality time with his children and grandchildren. Whether through his nurturing spirit, his love of teaching and helping others, or his unmatched ability to connect through genuine conversation, Bill brought people together with ease and warmth.

Bill was a rare soul whose positivity, selflessness, and deep compassion left a lasting impact on everyone who knew him. He had a gift for making people feel seen, heard, and entirely comfortable in their own skin. With the gift of gab and an even greater gift of listening, Bill formed instant, meaningful connections that made each person feel truly valued.

His spirit was rooted in kindness, humility, and quiet strength. He created space for others to be themselves — a legacy of acceptance, warmth, and unconditional love that will live on through all the lives he touched.

Bill is survived by his loving wife of 49 years, Marlene (Regenscheid) Schmidt; their children Brad (Kristin) Schmidt of Denver, CO and Kim (Adam) Slota of Chicago, IL; and grandchildren Keira and Jenna Schmidt, and Mila and Margot Slota.

He is also survived by siblings Elaine (Dean) Randall, Ron (Karen) Schmidt, Rita (Rick) Hastert, David (Deb Ginter) Schmidt, Norman (Debbie) Schmidt, Theresa Lloyd, and John (Cheryl) Schmidt; sisters-in-law Sue Schmidt, Mary (John) Murphy, Rita Flanagan, Kathy Regenscheid, Barb (Dennis) Huebsch; as well as many nieces, nephews, and friends.

He was preceded in death by his children Alyssa Schmidt and Matt Schmidt; parents Bill and Harriet Schmidt; Frederick Zimmerman; his in-laws Larry and Mary Regenscheid; his brother Larry Schmidt; and brothers-in-law Morgan Lloyd, Jerry Regenscheid, and Jerry Flanagan.

In memory of Bill, the family kindly asks that any donations be made to the ALS Association in his name, in honor of his courage and the strength with which he faced life's challenges. https://www.als.org/