Paul John Schmidt

Paul John Schmidt, 56, of Central City, Iowa, died April 2nd, 2023, in his sleep due to heart failure.

Paul was born on May 7th, 1966, in La Crosse, Wisconsin to Ed and Judy Schmidt.  He attended Aquinas High School and graduated in 1984.  From a young age, Paul showed an aptitude for mechanics and electronics.  From dirt bikes to cars to stereo systems, he honed his skills through hands-on experience and research. As a result, Paul was able to turn his knack for problem solving into a career.  For the next two decades, Paul traveled the country managing concert sound and light productions.  Known for his hard work and technical acumen, Paul was well-respected in his profession and designed sound and light for some of the biggest acts in music.

Long stretches on the road and long hours of physically demanding work eventually caught up with Paul.  A history of health conditions exacerbated by alcohol addiction, in part, led to him ending his career on the road.  After leaving the road, Paul “somehow” ended up in Central City, Iowa. His humorous take on this life choice can best be summed up by his email address: “StuckInIowa.com”.   It was here in Iowa that Paul settled into home life with his longtime partner of 18 years, Sumer Meyers, whom he loved. Jokes notwithstanding, Paul was very fond of his Iowa home and was appreciative of his friends and community.  He loved to spend his free time fishing, the Wapsipinicon River being one of his favorite haunts.  Paul (or “Pauly'' as his closest friends called him) was an immensely likable person.  Always willing to help and always ready with a joke, he was loved and will be missed by many.

Paul loved and was very proud of his large family.  He is preceded in death by his beloved mother Judy and he is survived by his father Ed Schmidt; partner, Sumer Meyers; sisters Elizabeth (Janvrin), Sarah (Yeiter), and Rachel (Curran); brothers Karl Schmidt and Luke Schmidt; and grandmother Connie (Duren) Giacalone. He is also survived by his ten nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at 1:00 P.M. Monday, April 10th at the Schumacher-Kish Funeral Home, 200 West Avenue South, La Crosse, WI.  A visitation will be held Monday at the funeral home from 11:00 A.M. until the time of service.  In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred.