Granby Living Mar2018

CELEBRATING OUR SENIORS
CAREER PILOT AL SCHMIDT
LANDS IN GRANBY
His life story includes Hall of Fame induction
and transporting Dalai Lama, Richard Gere
BY SARAH MERRILL
“Granby-ites are friendly people, and I’ve found they
are concerned about one another. The roots seem to
run deep here.” — Al Schmidt
Al Schmidt's mother pins on his Navy Wings of Gold in 1953
After residing — and flying airplanes — all over the map, Albert “Al” Schmidt settled
down in Granby in 2016. He lives with his daughter and her family in North Granby, and
he is happy to be here.
Schmidt explains, “When we were living in Bloomfield [in the ’70s and ’80s], I always
thought Granby seemed like a very appealing community. When my daughter settled here
with her husband in the 1980s, it was always a joy for me to visit.”
Schmidt has become an enthusiastic member of the Granby Senior Center community,
participating every week in meals and other activities. His daughter says the Senior Center
has been an important means for her father to make friends and connections in town.
Schmidt calls the center a “treasure.”
No doubt, Schmidt’s Granby friends have enjoyed hearing his life stories, a fascinating array
of experiences and observations gathered over 88 years. He was born in 1929 in Springfield,
Illinois, and most of his childhood memories are related to Scouting — he is still a
proud member of the Eagle Scouts. Schmidt was educated in the Springfield school system
and attended Western Illinois University, graduating in 1951 with a B.S. in business education.
He married his high school sweetheart, Marilyn.
Rather than face the Army draft, Schmidt enlisted in the Navy in 1951 as an airman recruit.
Qualifying for the Naval Aviator Cadet program, he began his aviation career in 1952. He
earned the coveted Navy Wings of Gold in 1953 and was commissioned as an ensign in the
U.S. Navy Reserve. After serving 16 years in the reserves, he retired as a lieutenant commander.
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Jessica Moore, REALTOR®
5 Star Zillow Premier Agent
12 | MARCH 2018