Edwin James Schmitt

Edwin (Ed) James Schmitt of Boca Raton, Florida, passed away peacefully on February 10, 2021 after a courageous battle with cancer. Ed was born in Brooklyn, New York, a New Year’s baby, January 1, 1941. He grew up in Flushing, New York, and went to St. Thomas the Apostle Grammar School, St. Nicholas of Tolentine Middle School, and St. John Prep High School. He attended Manhattan College on a full academic scholarship graduating in 1962 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering. He met his beloved wife of 57 years, Genevieve “Genie” (Sorrentino) Schmitt, at 14 years old when their families were vacationing at a summer resort in the Catskills. Their courtship lasted until Ed graduated from college. The following year, 1963, they married and moved to Hurley in upstate New York where Ed got a job at IBM in nearby Kingston as an executive in computer programming. He would go on to have a successful 32-year career there that had him working on many groundbreaking technological computer advancements.

Raised as city kids, Ed and Genie quickly settled in and enjoyed rural country living building a home on two acres in Woodstock where they raised their beautiful family of five children. Eventually growing tired of the cold blustery winters, in 1983 Ed accepted a transfer to work at the new IBM plant in Boca Raton, Florida, and moved his family south to enjoy the Florida beaches and sunshine. Ed’s love of the ocean began when he was a child spending summers at Jones Beach in New York, so when he moved to the Sunshine State he spent a lot of time swimming in the Atlantic Ocean at the Boca beaches and riding the waves on his boogey board with his children as often as he could. Most memorable is the tradition Ed started for himself when he moved to Florida of taking a dip in the ocean on his birthday, January 1, each year where he would bless himself with the waters of the sea.  

Ed was a passionate Catholic becoming an active member of St. John’s Catholic Church in Woodstock, New York, and later in Florida at St. Jude Catholic Church in Boca Raton where he volunteered as a Lector, Extraordinary Minister of the Holy Eucharist, and CCD Director.

Ed took early retirement so he could spend his days enjoying his growing family and immerse himself further in the Florida lifestyle of sunshine, friends, and family. He and Genie were able to provide “Grammy and Pop-Pop’s Daycare Service” to several of their young grandchildren, something they both loved. During Ed’s life he enjoyed many sports including racquetball, tennis, bowling, and skiing, and especially looked forward to spending each week on the links with his Florida golfing buddies. He also volunteered to teach computer classes to senior citizens, which he enjoyed a lot.

Ed and Genie took several years to travel the world by cruise and by bus both in Europe and throughout the United States. Ed especially loved the national parks. Always keen on ways to create more family memories, Ed and Genie invited the whole family of 19 (children, spouses, and grandchildren) on two separate Florida cruises over a six-year period (one was for their 50th wedding anniversary) so the whole gang could be together. Those trips continue to be some of the most memorable for the Schmitts further strengthening the love and unity of family that was so important to Ed and Genie.

In Ed’s later years, he and Genie moved to St. Andrews Estates in Boca Raton. He continued his ministry there by leading the weekly rosary group for the residents. It was a very special gathering many of them look forward to. When COVID-19 hit last year, Ed continued leading rosary on closed circuit TV so the residents could watch and participate in their apartments. Again, with a love of family always in his heart, another activity Ed became passionate about was researching his family tree. He created a robust ancestry website chronicling his family’s roots going back several generations. It truly was a labor of love that his future generations will enjoy.

Ed was a faith-filled, humble, trustworthy, kind, fun-loving husband, father, and grandfather. He leaves an incredible legacy of family and faith in God to all who know and love him. He is survived by his wife Genevieve “Genie” (Sorrentino) Schmitt, his five children, Genevieve Dreyer and husband Norm of Livingston, Montana; Ed Schmitt and Elke Hoercher of Boca Raton; Donnamarie Floyd and husband Jim of Meredith, New Hampshire; Denise Elia and husband Tom of Boca Raton; and Lisa Corsa and husband Louis of Boca Raton. Grandfather “Pop-Pop” of Jake, Eddie, Kylie, Sean, Teddy, Stephen, Andrew, Lilliana, and Louis. Dear brother of Marilyn Larsen and Florence Funk.

Family and friends are invited to honor Ed’s life on Thursday February 18, 2021 at Glick Funeral Home, Boca Raton, Florida, from 4 pm to 8 pm, with a short prayer service at 6 pm. A funeral mass will be held Friday February 19, 2021 at 10 am at St. Jude Catholic Church in Boca Raton.

Memorial contributions if desired can be made in memory of Edwin J. Schmitt to St. Jude Catholic Church, 21689 Toledo Rd., Boca Raton, FL 33433, or the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (pancan.org). Flowers are welcome as well and can be sent to Glick Funeral Home at 3600 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton, FL 33431, phone 561-672-1877.  

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