Karl Schmeidler

Karl Schmeidler ~ Col., US Army (Ret.)

Passed away peacefully on Sunday, December 23, 2018. Karl was 96 years old from Warrenton, VA. Born in 1922 in Staten Island, NY, he was the son of the late Henry David and Amelia Schmeidler.

Karl grew up in Staten Island, excelling through his school years receiving highest honors in the Regency Exam from Port Richmond High School. As a holder of Telluride, Boldt, Cornell and NY State scholarships he received his AB with honors in Political Science/Economics from Cornell University; his JD from Harvard Law School, and was admitted into practice in 1949 in New York and many federal courts. He continued his education at NY University Graduate School of Business Administration.

Karl served in the United States Army from 1942 through 1976. He achieved the rank of Colonel. While in active duty during WWII, he served in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater; Berlin Call-up, Special Forces, and Trained Military Advisors for Vietnam.

Karl married Ethel Kessler in 1951 while working for a private firm in New York City. They moved to Washington DC where he worked 29 years with the Justice Department of United States Government handling cases in the Supreme Court as well as Courts of Appeals. His specialty was taxation, reorganizations, bankruptcies, etc.,  

Following the birth of their special-needs daughter Barbara, Karl became active as a volunteer in the social movement to improve services for the mentally ill and the mentally handicapped. He served in numerous offices at the local, state and national levels for the ARC. He held the positions at the national level of Treasurer and served as a member if its Executive Committee and Board of Directors. In addition, he was the Chairman of the NARC Legal Advisory Committee and Chairman of their Governmental Affairs Committee.  On the local level with Virginia ARC, he served as Vice President from 1964-1966 and President in 1966. His leadership as Chairman of the Virginia Committed on Human Rights initiated many new directions for citizens who cannot represent themselves in the legal system.

Part of his military career Karl was stationed in Tokyo immediately following the bombing of Hiroshima. It was during this time that Karl developed an interest in Japanese art and pottery. This branched out into an appreciation for Chinese porcelain and American Cut Glass from the Brilliant period. These pieces brought him much joy in his life.

Karl married Dorothy MacConkey in 1994.  In his leisure, he loved to travel nationally and internationally. Karl was an avid Single Malt Scotch connoisseur, having many varieties and ages to offer his guests at any one time.

In addition to his parents, Karl was preceded in death by Ethel and Dorothy. He will be missed by his daughter Barbara of Virginia, his brother Laurence Schmeidler and wife Paula of Framingham MA; his niece Danielle and husband Ken Dumas, his nephew Erik and wife Maxine Schmeidler, as well as their children.

Memorial service and inurnment details pending notification from Arlington National Cemetery. 

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