Mary Frances Schmidt

TRYON-Mary Frances Schmidt, 87, died Sunday, January 30, 2022 at Hospice of Carolina Foothills in Forest City, North Carolina.
Mary Frances Schmidt, daughter of George Ellet and Mary Elizabeth (McMillan) Bowling, is survived by her devoted husband of 62 years, Gail Duane Schmidt; five children, Yvonne Newgent, Duane Schmidt (Christine Daily), Gordon Schmidt (Kim), Brian Schmidt (Sharon) and Valerie Hall (Carl); eighteen grandchildren, Jennifer Newgent, Lisa Newgent, Katelyn Newgent, Jonathan Newgent, David Newgent (Emily), Carolann (Curley) Newgent, Matthea Newgent, Elinor Newgent, Abigail Newgent, Isaac Newgent, Rebecca Schmidt, Eric Schmidt, Anna Schmidt, Emily Schmidt, John Schmidt, Samantha Schmidt, Matthew Hall (Echo Johnston – fiancée), and Elaine Frances Hall Chhean (Jimmy); and five great grandchildren; her sister Anna Maye Williams of Kingsport, Tennessee; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Mary Frances was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, and spent her early years in Knoxville and Clinton, Tennessee. By middle school, her family moved to Oak Ridge, Tennessee, her father George was appointed the first postmaster of Oak Ridge. Her family later moved to Kingsport, Tennessee, where she attended high school.
After working locally in Kingsport, she moved back to Oak Ridge and worked at the Oak Ridge Institute of Nuclear Studies; it was there she met her future husband. Mary Frances canceled her date with another admirer to go with Gail to the Great Smokey Mountains on July 4th, and the rest is history. Gail and Mary Frances married on November 7, 1959 in Oak Ridge.
Their journey together began in an apartment in Virginia, south of the Pentagon. Two years later they moved to Rockville, Maryland, and then to Potomac, Maryland. In 1977 they modified the design of a contemporary house and built it up the street on Lloyd Road. The resulting modern structure was filled with natural light and overlooked the wooded lot. It was in the Washington, DC, area that they raised their five children. Mary Frances was a loving and supportive mother who taught her children about cooking, music, art, sewing, and crafts. Her creativity and passion continue to inspire her children.
In the Washington, DC, area, Mary Frances worked for the Food and Drug Administration and various federal contractors. She was described as highly industrious and skilled in word processing, databases, graphics, and some computer programming.
In 1992, Gail and Mary Frances designed and built a house on Tipers Creek in Wicomico Church, VA. Gail designed the house and completed some of the interior finishing. Mary Frances served as the general contractor, handled the budget, and selected interior finishes and fixtures. The light-filled house sat on top of a hill overlooking a creek of the Chesapeake Bay. Mary Frances retired soon after and shifted her focus to her blossoming passion for art.
Her art education began when she studied at Montgomery College in Rockville, Maryland, with courses in painting and drawing. After her move to Wicomico Church, she attended other classes and workshops learning more about painting techniques, pottery, and fused glass. Her work was shown at multiple locations including the museum shop at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Treasury of Art Juried Show with the Vienna Arts Society, Focal Point Gallery in Gloucester Virginia, and the King George Art Show. She is best known for her creative Raku pottery and stunning paintings.
During this time, she started a workshop series featuring nationally known instructors for the Rappahannock Art League (RAL). She, with the help of her husband, organized, developed promotional materials, and handled logistical details for these weeklong painting workshops. In addition, she initiated the first newsletter for the RAL and wrote, published, edited, and distributed it for many years.
During retirement, they also traveled extensively across the breadth of the country. She had previously visited Europe and South America. Some highlights included Machu Picchu, the gardens of Keukenhof Netherlands, and the Monet gallery in the Louvre. She often described how the Monet paintings took her breath away.
In 2010, Mary Frances and Gail improved the design plans from the Tipers Creek house and built a similar house in Tryon, North Carolina, overlooking the South Carolina mountains. Mary Frances hired the construction crew and all subcontractors, handled the budget, and again selected the interior finishes and fixtures. Mary Frances described this house as the most beautiful house she had ever been in. Mary Frances continued to pursue her artistic endeavors and she and Gail enjoyed visiting local galleries and shows. Mary Frances was pleased to spend her final years surrounded by the beauty of the mountains.

A Celebration of Life is being planned for April 30, 2022 in Maryland. Additional details will be available soon. A private gathering is also being planned in North Carolina.