Patty JoAnn Schmidt

Patty JoAnn (Gooch) Schmidt, of Torrance, California, died peacefully at the home she shared with her daughter and son-in-law, on August 23, 2022. She was 91 years old at the time of her death. Per the wishes of Pat and her family, cremation services have been entrusted to LA Crematorium. A graveside memorial service will be held at a later date at Restland Cemetary in Baxter, Iowa. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations go to Baxter Hometown Pride – for the benefit of the children’s splash pad (see information below).

Patty, the daughter of Loyal and Thelma Gooch, was born on August 1, 1931, in Newton, Iowa. She grew up in Newton and graduated as valedictorian from Newton High School with the class of 1949. She married Walter Schmidt, the love of her life, on March 19, 1950. During the Korean War in the early 1950′s, while Walt was serving in the Navy, Walt and Pat lived in Seattle, Washington, Long Beach, California, and San Diego, California. After that, they made their home in rural Baxter, Iowa, and then moved into town where they continued to live until their retirement in 1996. Upon retiring, they moved to Apache Junction, Arizona, where they lived life to the fullest until Walt’s death in 2001. In 2016, Pat moved to Torrance, California, moving in with her daughter, Lori and family.

Pat worked for the Maytag Company in her younger years, then went on to be a teller and Student Loan Officer for State Savings Bank in Baxter, and later served as the Baxter City Clerk for many years. She was a member of the Baxter United Church of Christ and then later a member of Velda Rose Methodist Church in Mesa, Arizona, during her retirement.

Pat was an avid sports lover, and found countless hours of enjoyment watching the Iowa Hawkeyes, Phoenix Suns, and Arizona Diamondbacks. She also loved reading books. But – first and foremost, she loved her family.

Those left to cherish Pat’s memory are her three children; Julie Schmidt (Caroline Pelzel) of Emmons, Minnesota, Lori (Tomas) Gomez of Torrance, California, and Jeff (Nancy) Schmidt of Clifton, Virginia. Additionally Pat is survived by six grandchildren – Jordan Bruggenthies, Whitney (Andrew) Ochoa, Christian Urbaniak, Erik Gomez, Jonathon (Catie) Schmidt, and Brandon Schmidt, and seven great grandchildren – Ryan and Dylan Ochoa, Natalie and Piper Ortega, Jaxon Jones, and Amelia and Carson Schmidt. Also surviving Pat is her brother David Gooch and her sister in-law Marilyn Gooch as well as many wonderful cousins, nieces and nephews.

Pat was preceded in death by her loving husband Walter, her parents – Loyal and Thelma Gooch, a brother (Junior) in infancy, and her younger brother, Dennis Gooch. She was also preceded in death by her loving extended family, her in-laws – Nolan and Ada Schmidt, and her brothers/sisters-in-law – Ray and Marylou Nichol, Harold (Doc) and Gerry Townsend, and Jody Gooch.

If you wish to provide the family with a loving memorial contribution to Baxter Hometown Pride for the children’s splash pad, please send to the following:

Baxter Hometown Pride

City of Baxter

PO Box 415

Baxter, Iowa 50028

Please reference Patty Schmidt Memorial Fund – Splash Pad