Johannes J. Schmitz

Johannes J Schmitz died unexpectedly on March 12, 2019. He passed away at the age of 91 from complications of Congestive Heart Failure. He was a well-respected figure in Catonsville and in the German Community of Baltimore, and will be greatly missed by family, friends and neighbors. Hans was born in 1927 to Mathias and Maria Schmitz, in Bonn, Germany, and was one of four children: Jakob, Heinrich, Johannes and Luzinda. He married the love of his life, the former Roswitha Langen, in 1956. They were married 62 years and have three children, Dr. Sonja Schmitz, married to Dr. Gary Kaiser, John H Schmitz, engaged to Lynne Rowe and Christiane Beavis, married to David N Beavis; and four grandchildren, Joseph Schmitz, John D Schmitz, Joshua Stine and Cara Stine.

Hans started out as a farm helper after immigrating in 1950 to Ohio. He became a citizen five years later and went back to Germany, where he met his wife, Roswitha. In July of 1957, he started working for the Westinghouse Corporation and retired in 1991 as a Senior Engineer. Up until a few years ago, Captain Schmitz was an active member in the Howard County Civil Air Patrol Squadron. As a devout Catholic, he was a mass server and an extraordinary minister for more than 30 years at The Shrine of St. Jude in Baltimore, Maryland. He was proud of his German heritage and belonged to several German Organizations in the Baltimore area.

He will be remembered for his good nature, love of good food and coffee, and gathering with his friends singing German songs.

Family and friends may gather at the CANDLE LIGHT FUNERAL HOME by Craig Witzke for a memorial gathering on Tuesday, March 19, 2019, 6 - 8 pm. Mass of christian burial will be celebrated Wednesday, March 20, 2019, 10 am, Chapel @ St. Mark's Catholic Church. Interment St. John's Cemetery, Ellicott City. 

If preferred, contributions  can be made to:
The Endowment Fund at Zion Lutheran Church
400 East Lexington Street
Baltimore, MD 21202
410-727-3939

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