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BORN
1936
DIED
2025
FUNERAL HOME
Rex Schmude Obituary
After high school, he joined the United States Army and served during the Vietnam War. He retired after 20 years of active duty and an additional 3 years in the reserves. On June 11, 1963, he married the love of his life, Anna Westphal in Germany. In 1978, they moved back to Wisconsin and raised 4 daughters together. They enjoyed 56 years together until her passing in 2019.
Rex was very humble, kind and a brilliant photographer. When asked, he said "I lived a good life." He was able to travel in his career to places such as Ethiopia, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Sweden and lived in Germany for 9 years. He was one of the first to photograph the "Lady Be Good", a B-24D Liberator crash site that was discovered 16 years after the war was over, which is now displayed in the EAA Museum. Some of the celebrity photos he took were of John F. Kennedy in Berlin, Germany, Bob Hope in Vietnam, Elvis in 1958 and Martha Rae. His favorite photos were those of his family.
In his off time, he enjoyed hunting, fishing, woodworking and listening to music - especially John Denver songs.
He is survived by his children, Heike Goodwin, Rose (Gib) Buhrow, Carol (Phillip Jr.) Magee and JoRae (Douglas) Milner; 15 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; 4 great-great-grandchildren; sister, Dawn Hammes; many cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.
Preceding him in death was his wife, Anna Schmude; parents, Roy Franklin and Irene Rose (Champeaux) Schmude; siblings, Doris, Charolette, Sonja, Donna, Jay, Karen and Wayne; son-in-law, Ernest Goodwin Jr.; and grandson-in-law, Jeremy Trampf.
Visitation will be held on Monday, June 23, 2025, at Kwiatkowski Funeral Home, 425 Jefferson Ave, Omro, WI, from 12:00pm to 1:00pm, with service at 1:00pm. Military honors will immediately follow. He will be laid to rest next to his wife, Anna at Omro Junction Cemetery.
The family would like to thank the nurses and staff at Ascension Mercy Medical Center, Ascension Home Health and Compassus Hospice-especially Marissa and Kelly for all of their care and compassion given to Rex and his family.
Kwiatkowski Funeral Home
425 Jefferson Avenue
Omro WI 54963
(920) 685-2207
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
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