JANUARY 19 – Richard Frederick Schmidt, of Farmville, lost his battle with cancer on Monday, January 18, 2010. He was born in Wilmington, DE, on February 18, 1930, the only child of John and Wilhelmina Schmidt.

He graduated from George Washington University with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering. He served in the U.S. Air Force as an Antenna Specialist during the Korean War.

After the war he continued to serve our country by working to develop antenna technology for the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C. He then enjoyed an extensive career with NASA that resulted in numerous patents and X-Documents. His work, advancing microwave antenna technology, has been incorporated into many civilian and military applications.

He retired from NASA in 1988 and moved from Seabrook to Nanjemoy, MD. In 2004 he again moved, with his son Karl, to Farmville. He was an avid outdoorsman and hunter who devoted his life to caring for Karl.

Surviving are his sons, John and wife Joan and Karl; adopted daughter, Colleen; grandchildren, Samantha, Ian, Christy, Sandy and Steven, and great-grandchildren, Tyler, Emily and Michael.

A funeral service will be held at 3 p.m., Thursday at St. John's Lutheran Church in Farmville. Family will receive friends from 2-3 p.m. Thursday at the church prior to the ser-vice.

Benevolent memorials can be made to the Woodrow Wilson Rehabilitation Center in Fishersville.

Shorter Funeral Home, Farmville, is serving the family.

www.shorterfuneralhome.com