Brian Anthony Schmidt of Happy Valley, Oregon

July 26, 1957 – September 11, 2022

Brian Schmidt passed away on September 11, 2022, from cancer at age 65, surrounded by his family. Brian grew up the youngest of three brothers in Portland, Oregon. He spent his childhood playing sports, biking, and fishing. His love of building things began early, he was always taking things apart so he could put them back together again.

He met and fell in love with his wife, Kelly Bollard, while they were in high school at Marshall.  During his years at Marshall, he was part of the basketball, football and track teams, and created many close and lifelong relationships. After graduation, he started his own woodworking business, BSW, doing weatherstripping and finish carpentry, which he and Kelly ran for 45 years.

Brian had a natural gift and talent of being able to envision, create and build almost anything, including family homes and custom boats. His work can be seen in homes all over the Portland area. There was nothing Brian couldn’t build. He was always ready and willing to help his family and friends who needed his craftsmanship and creativity.

Brian and Kelly were married for 43 years and had three children; Andrew, Kerra, and Justin. He coached all three children in sports and was involved in many activities throughout their childhood in Happy Valley. Brian loved to spend time in Rockaway Beach where he built a family cabin with the help of friends, and where years of cherished family memories and traditions were born. He loved fishing with his friends and family in the ocean, area rivers, and even in his beloved backyard pond filled with trout and koi.

One of Brian and Kelly’s great joys was having their six grandchildren live close by and spending time with them. Brian loved sharing with the grandkids his passion for building, boating, fishing and playing with the race car tracks he built for them. They adored their Papa. He and Kelly attended the grandkids sporting events, dance performances, and other activities. Brian was their biggest fan.

He is survived by his wife Kelly Schmidt; son Andrew and daughter-in-law Ashley Schmidt and grandchildren Connor and Avery; daughter Kerra and son-in-law Casey Bartlett and grandchildren Tabor and Hayden; son Justin and daughter-in-law Kimberly Schmidt and grandchildren Tanner and Nathan; Brother Gene and sister-in-law Lisa Schmidt and brother Joey and sister-in-law Sharon Schmidt and aunts, uncles, cousins, and many beloved nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents Joe and Catherine Schmidt.

The family is deeply grateful to their extended family, neighbors, and friends for their loving and continual support.

A Funeral Mass will take place at Ascension Catholic Church (743 SE 76th Ave, Portland, OR 97215) on Wednesday, September 21 at 11:00 am. A live stream of Mass will be available on the parish facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ascensionpdx.

In remembrance of Brian’s life, memorial gifts can be made to the Providence Portland Medical  Foundation to support cancer research at 830 NE Glisan, Portland, Or 97213 or made online at  https://give.providencefoundations.org/portland.