Robert Joseph Schmitt

Bob was a long time business colleague in Canada going back some 50 years as our principle contact with the CP in moving our Sea-Land containers across Canada. He became a great friend and in recent years we enjoyed many a phone call discussing Major League Baseball and the many changes in the game from Bob’s early years pulling for the Cardinals in St Louis. Bob was a strong baseball traditionalist resenting the many changes in the game that evolved in recent years. He was always a pleasure and fun person to work with who always lived up to his word and was an extremely dependable and reliable business partner. I will miss him greatly particularly during the upcoming baseball season and our frequent telephone conversations about the game we both loved. May God now bless his soul and comfort his family. Zeb McMillan

...And I called him "Roberto" or sometimes the Crown Prince of Wine" and there were a few other endearing terms I used periodically. He was a most unique and knowledgeable person. A true Renaissance Man. If a vineyard or wine making term could be said better in Latin, Spanish, Italian or Romansch...he'd do it. He knew far more than I did about my little vineyard and the excellent wine that came from it. I only wish Roberto had lived closer to me so we'd see more of each other. Our communication was mostly via email. Although I knew Bob Schmitt in Canada from our mutual employers, it was really through Gary Ritzman that I got to know Schmitty. I still recall our golf games when Bob and Anne were in the Bay Area (Orinda) visiting Anne's sister I think it was. But it really came together with my vineyard and the "reams of emails" discussing each and every dastardly incident that had been done to me by the winery owners, winemaker, vineyard manager and in each category there were several. I think Roberto knew more than any of them! We even discussed my all time worst vintage the "better wine through chemistry" we called it (it wasn't! We (wife, daughter, SIL. along with Bob and Anne) finally got together for dinner in Vancouver a few years ago over some excellent steaks and fine wine (both Champion Lane and some of Darioush's finest. I'll always remember the evening... in a great restaurant that was affiliated with Hy's. A few other items: If anyone on earth loved the Dharma as much as Gary, it was the Commandant. In email communication, he refused to use subjects. (saying no personal letter ever had a subject). So I would aggravate him by assigning a subject on every return response. He ignored me but I knew it "bugged" him and he knew I knew! Was there ever a book he never read? Was there a language he didn't know a few words and phrases in? Did he suffer fools well (No!), but did he accept some people's quirks (Yes). Was he a Helluva a guy (Indeed) Will he be missed (in more ways that I can count) Rest in Peace my Friend/

Uncle Bob was a special guy. I always loved hearing tales of his international adventures and he loved to hear about mine. I will miss him very much! Sending love to the family!

In 2005, Sylvia and I travelled to Calgary for the wedding of our niece. Fortunately, my aunt and her husband attended, for this was the beginning of our wonderful friendship with Anne and Bob. From that time forward, we remained in steady contact. Rarely did a week go by when we did not talk with one or both of them. We visited them many times, spent months in their company while living in Vancouver where I twice spent sabbaticals. The past 17 years of friendship with Bob were memorable indeed, for I was able to enjoy and come to deeply appreciate his broad learning. He was in many respects very well educated, with catholic tastes, and a passion for reading. Having had a traditional Catholic liberal education, he became an accomplished autodidact. A razor-sharp wit, capacious memory, and a habit of reflection made him a formidable intelligence. Testing wits with Bob was one of the great pleasures that came from our friendship. In countless phone conversations and email exchanges, he pressed his arguments and questions. At the same time, he was unfailingly generous, and his sense of humor rarely faltered. In sum, he was an exemplary gentleman and, as the expression goes, “a man in full.” We loved him dearly. He will be greatly missed in the coming years.