Andrew W. Schmidt III, businessman

Andrew W. Schmidt III, former owner of a Northeast Baltimore meatpacking company and cattle breeder, died March 1 of cancer at his Monkton home. He was 80.

Andrew William Schmidt III was born in Baltimore and raised in Mayfield. After graduating in 1949 from Polytechnic Institute, he earned a bachelor's degree in 1953 from the University of Delaware.

He served in the Army as a lieutenant in the infantry from 1953 to 1955.

Mr. Schmidt joined A.W. Schmidt & Son Inc., a wholesale meatpacking house in the 2100 block of Harford Road that had been established in 1880 by his grandfather, Andrew W. Schmidt Sr.

He operated the business for 38 years until retiring in 1991. After retiring, he worked for several years as a courtesy van driver for Brooks-Huff Tire and Auto Centers.

The longtime Monkton resident, who was a prominent breeder of Hereford cattle, also was a well-known cattle judge at county and state fairs. He was also for many years an active 4-H leader.

He was a past president and director of the Maryland Hereford Association and was a member of the Baltimore County and Maryland 4-H All Stars.

Mr. Schmidt was also a financial benefactor of the St. Labre School, a private Roman Catholic high school in Ashland, Mont.

He attended St. James Episcopal Church and St. Matthew United Church of Christ in Mayfield.

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday at St. James Episcopal Church, 3100 Monkton Road, Monkton.

Surviving are his wife of 58 years, the former Marylou Phillips; two sons, John Stokes Schmidt of Westminster and Alan Mark Schmidt of White Hall; two daughters, June Carol Kron of Baltimore and Suzanne Claire Beck of Monkton; a brother, Charles H. Schmidt of Grasonville; a sister, Emily Pieper of Monkton; and seven grandchildren.

fred.rasmussen@baltsun.com