Eric Paul Schmidt

Birth date: Jun 6, 1951 Death date: Jun 23, 2025

Eric Schmidt (June 6, 1951 – June 23, 2025) Eric Schmidt, 74, a resident of The Sea Ranch, CA, died on June 23 at John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek, CA due to complications of glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer. Eri Read Obituary

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Ken O'brien

11w ago

We met Eric and Denise when they moved to San Juan Island and built a state-of-the-art home across the street from us. A couple years later, maybe in 2022, we decided to build a large free-standing stone fireplace in the patio. We hired a contractor for the project, but the next thing we knew, Eric was on-site helping our contractor with the project. Not long after, we decided to extend our patio with stone pavers. Eric was a landscape architect and immediately showed up to help. In addition to cutting and laying a lot of stone, Eric guided our thinking in the overall landscape design to a successful completion. We refer to it as Eric's patio. Over time we became good friends with Eric and Denise and decided to take a fossil hunting trip to Eastern Washington. The fossil hunting was sub-par (unless you include the visit to a rock shop in Leavenworth). Along the way, we visited Chelan, Washington. There we stopped to see the winery/wedding venue that Eric and Denise had designed. Eric designed the vineyard along with major site grading and roads and Denise designed the wine making facilities and a rather elegant building for hosting wedding activities.
In or around 2022, Eric and Denise decided to move to Sea Ranch to be closer to their daughter, Lina who lived in Oakland. Since then, Eric would make periodic visits to their home on San Juan Island. Whenever he showed up, it seemed like we reconnected seamlessly as though he had never left and we cherish those memories.
We found Eric to be a serious thinker and very caring. At the same time he had a somewhat goofy sense of humor that we totally loved.

Chris Wasney

11w ago

Our family got to know and love Eric and Denise when we began attending the July 4th extravaganza family reunion hosted by my sister and brother in laws, Betsy Peabody and Jeff Geuble, in their beautiful house designed by Denise. Eric and Denise--and sometimes Lina and Snowy--would joyously partake of the madness of crabbing, foraging, fireworks, raucous laughter and conversations that behaved like river rapids. They were simply part of the family. Three memories stand out for me: First, it was clear that Eric loved his family and their life together with his entire being, a delighted husband, supportive and loving father and devoted dog owner. Second, we loved to talk shop and it was clear what a remarkable career he had forged. I can picture him at his office overlooking Alaskan Way, getting a few more sketches in as he watched his boat pull in, waiting until the last minute to dash aboard. Finally, despite, or perhaps because of how smart, sophisticated and talented he was, he loved a good corny joke, be it a pun, a groaner of a dad joke or a good quip. I know that Eric valued his career, and was justifiably proud of what he accomplished, but this last memory tells me that what he loved about life the most was laughing and loving his family and friends. May you rest in peace my friend.
---Chris Wasney

Betsy Peabody

11w ago

Betsy Peabody

11w ago

Eric Schmidt, of the Eric-Denise-Lina-Elfin-Bungee-Snowy Clan, was our dear friend for 27 years. We lived down the street from each other on Bainbridge Island for 20 of those years and became instant family friends the moment our kids started sharing a bus stop in kindergarten. Morning antics with kids, dogs, and cat in tow evolved into dinners, shared holidays, family sailing trips, trips abroad, and countless adventures and misadventures. Eric cherished it all, soaking up life and sharing his friendly, generous self in a thousand ways. He was all in. On the ferry, at the soccer field, in the yard, around the house. Growing things, tending to things, lending a hand wherever one was needed. Making the world a better place in big and little ways, through landscape designs, community work, and happy puttering here and there. We feel incredibly lucky to have shared the golden years of child rearing and adventuring with Eric and his Clan. He was a special friend, with a deep well of fellow-feeling, and a big, ready smile. We miss him enormously. But he is woven into our lives inextricably. There is no taking that away. And we will honor his memory with all the joy that Eric shared with us.
All our love,
Betsy Peabody and Jeff Gueble

Rae Ann Engdahl

11w ago

Family and friends in the San Juans

Denise Garcia

11w ago

Denise Garcia

11w ago

Rae Ann Engdahl

11w ago

Eric was my lifelong friend. We first met in Oregon while students and young adventurers, running rivers and sharing the love of wilderness.
He was an outstanding photographer, rower, camp kitchen cook and campfire companion.
Through the years he accomplished many professional projects, designing beautiful habitats and accumulating awards and accolades. His professional achievements did not stand in the way of friendships nor time for friends and fun, offering his help with building projects and planning the next adventure. We ran the Colorado through the Grand Canyon three times together, the last trip with Denise who was new to the thrill of big water. We always had such fun on our wilderness adventures.
Throughout life, he remained his unassuming self, with a love of beauty and what is good. He was in all ways, a beautiful man and friend.

Alison Cullen

12w ago

We are writing with a few remembrances of Eric as sunset falls on Cape San Juan this summer evening. The sky is pink and orange, the wind has stilled and the day has moved into night. The Cape is where we met Eric and Denise four years ago - it is a special place where one feels a very close connection to the natural world and thus it is the perfect place to remember Eric. Eric loved the natural world and cared deeply about its sustainability. It was clear that he enjoyed walking the trails and biking the roads of this lovely island, just as he enjoyed his times in the outdoors since childhood.

Eric was also a stalwart contributor to our community. Whether it was a "workday" to clean up downed timber or an architectural committee assessment of a neighbor's proposal to build a home, garage, shed or patio, Eric showed up bringing his incredible wealth of information and good will. He was thoughtful, well informed, fair and generous in these interactions, always trying to bring positive change to our shared slice of the world.

While it is inspiring to ponder Eric's contributions to the causes of justice and environmental protection throughout his life, along with his many professional achievements, we would be remiss if we did not also mention Eric's love of the Seattle Sounders FC, our local soccer team. Rooting for the Sounders in great seasons, and in "other" seasons, was one of the ways that we bonded with him. In particular we remember a community potluck where we kept pestering Eric for updates on the score, since he had the game info constantly refreshing on his phone!

We send our sympathy to Denise, Lina and all who loved Eric, with a sincere hope that these memories bring comfort and healing as you grieve.

Alison Cullen and Chris Bretherton

Denise Garcia

12w ago

Alison Cullen

12w ago

We send our sympathy to Denise, Lina and all who loved Eric, with a sincere hope that these memories bring comfort and healing as you grieve.

Alison Cullen and Chris Bretherton

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