02/20/1926 – 12/29/2023
W. Marshall Schmidt died peacefully in his sleep on Friday, December 29, 2023, in his apartment at the Princeton Windrows in Plainsboro, NJ, where he lived with his beloved wife of 76 years, Cornelia “Kinnie” Schmidt.
Marshall was born on February 20, 1926, in San Francisco, CA, and grew up primarily in Pelham Manor, NY and then Swarthmore, PA. He graduated in 1947 from Swarthmore College, where his academics were interrupted when he served in WWII on the battleship USS Wisconsin in the Pacific theater.
After graduating from Swarthmore and marrying Kinnie, Marshall began his business career in the financial sector in Philadelphia, first as municipal bond trader with Drexel & Co, and then with Hornblower, Weeks, Hemphill, Noyes where he made partner. In 1971, he became chairman of Schmidt, Roberts & Parke and finished his career with W.H. Newbold’s and then Janney Montgomery Scott, finally retiring in 2000.
In addition to his business career, Marshall was very proud of his contributions to various executive and civic organizations. While at Windrows, he served on five finance committees and eight staff appreciation fund drives. Marshall served as chair of Swarthmore College’s Alumni Association and served on its Board of Managers for one term. He was on the board of directors (1981-1986) and served as vice president (1986-1989) of the Union League of Philadelphia, and he served as the 77th president of the St. Andrew’s Society of Philadelphia. He also had a lifelong commitment to youth development. Marshall was an original board member and emeritus trustee of Agawam Council, which operates Camp Agawam for boys in Raymond, ME. Beginning in 1971, he was actively involved with the Children’s Country Week Association (CCWA), which operates Paradise Farm Camps in Downingtown, PA, serving as president 1974-1994, and president emeritus beginning in 1994. Marshall was instrumental in helping to ensure the financial stability of CCWA, including creating a trust at the Chester Country Community Foundation for the benefit of CCWA. He and Kinnie were also members of the Yardley (PA) Friends Meeting.
In addition to his wife, Marshall is survived by his daughter Eleanor (“Peggy”) Clark (Robert) and his son John Schmidt (Liz Vogel). His son William Schmidt (Cathy) predeceased him. He is also survived by 10 grandchildren: Courtney Clark Metakis (Marc), Kenneth Clark (Kristen Ritenour), John Schmidt (Sarah), Sarah E. Schmidt (Scott Tremblay), Reid Schmidt (Corey Rosenbloom), Sarah A. Schmidt (Kyle Starr), Emily Schmidt (Kevin Stursberg), Margaret Schmidt, Abigail Schmidt (Matthew Caulfield), and William Schmidt, plus nine great-grandchildren.
Marshall led a life well-lived, marked by his devotion to his family, talent for connecting people, enthusiastic engagement in worthy causes, complicated baseball pool that predated online sports fantasy leagues, faithful attendance at Friday poker games, endless supply of stories, fascination with jigsaw puzzles, and fondness for raw oysters.
Marshall’s family offer their heartfelt thanks to David Barile, M.D., Marshall’s primary care physician, for his expert and empathetic medical care: Beth Morley, MSW, of Friends Life Care, for her accessibility and extraordinary support; and Booker Mbiti, home health aide, for his dedication and his perceptive care, which made it possible for Marshall to remain fully engaged in life at Windrows for the past three years.
n lieu of flowers, the family requests that any donations be directed to the Children’s Country Week Association, 1300 Valley Creek Road, Downingtown, PA 19335.