Bruce Emil Schmidt

Bruce E. Schmidt, age 81, of Holstein, passed away on Saturday, May 28, 2022, at the Cherokee Regional Medical Center of Cherokee.  A funeral service will be held on Thursday, June 02, 2022 at 10:00 AM at the St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church of Holstein with the Pastor Bob Lewis officiating.  Burial will be at the Holstein Cemetery of Holstein.  A visitation will be held on Wednesday, June 01, 2022 from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM at the Nicklas D. Jensen Funeral Home of Holstein.

Bruce Emil Schmidt, 81, of Holstein passed away on Saturday, May 28, 2022. He was predeceased by his father, Emil H. Schmidt Jr. and his mother, Lulu J. (Stock) Schmidt. He is survived by his son, Darrin and wife Lisa of Holstein, IA, his daughter Tammy Wolverton and husband Todd of Council Bluffs, IA, his son Marty and wife Renae of Adel, IA, his son Barry and wife Kelly of Lucas, TX and former spouse Marlene Schmidt of Okoboji, IA. He has ten grandchildren; Jadyn Schmidt, Regan (Wolverton)  and husband Mitch Johnson, Jace Wolverton, Brodrick Schmidt, Kerilyn Schmidt, Torianna Schmidt, Eliza Schmidt, Megan Schmidt, Bryan Schmidt and Lindsay Schmidt.

Bruce was an entrepreneur, inventor and engineer who started Holstein Manufacturing Inc. (HMI) in 1976. He was a community leader and philanthropist with many organizations including Ida County Pork & Beef producers, 4-H, Farm Bureau and St. Paul Lutheran Church. Born in Ida Grove, IA, he graduated from Holstein High School, and also Iowa State University. At Iowa State he was a proud member of the Farmhouse fraternity. After graduation he was a hog buyer for Hormel in Austin, MN. In 1966 he returned to Holstein to farm with his father and start a family. He began HMI to build a better mobile barbeque and succeeded with many more grilling & trailer innovations to his name. He never met a stranger and enjoyed spending time talking about new HMI products, agriculture, the news of the day and most importantly, his family. Bruce's life was forever changed on May 13, 2006 when he had a farming accident.  He was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church of Holstein.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Iowa 4H Foundation. https://www.iowa4hfoundation.org/ and St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church in Holstein.