Roger Allen Schmitz

memorial service

Roger's Celebration of Life Gathering in Adams, MN

August 10, 2022

Updated: July 1

Dear Friends and Family,

We will have a memorial on Wednesday, August 10th 12:00- 3:00 at the Adams City Park Pavilion to celebrate Roger’s Life. Refreshments will be served.

After the park we will plant a tree and bury his ashes.

Please join us in person or in spirit.

Adams Park Pavilion is on the south side of Hwy 56 Shooting Star Scenic Byway

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MEMORIAL in Prospect Park May 7th at 1:00pm

at The Oval (NE side of Franklin and Cecil)

Potluck, Songs, Labyrinth, Stories and more

What to bring if you want to participate in creating the mandala altar: In a meditative and reflective way please gather any sticks or twigs of similar size, rocks, stones, flowers, leaves, acorns, dried leaves, pinecones, or seed pods from your yard or walks. You will be invited to add what you gather to our collective mandala altar.

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Many Thanks to everyone who contributed to Roger's memorial gathering on January 8th.

Thank you so much to Michael Sutz, the wizard behind the technology. So many friends and family were so very happy to be able to stream the event on Vimeo and and share stories on Zoom. Thank you for creating these links for us to share.

Link to the stories and memories from the memorial: https://vimeopro.com/twelveplus/roger-schmitz

Link to the film clips: Thank you Matt Quast, Dan Geiger and Rosemary Davis for sorting through the films and videos, editing and putting this all together!

https://vimeo.com/twelveplus/review/664103735/f17a30903b

Here's the original unedited link to watch the memorial: https://vimeo.com/659350375/5630ebd7bc

It's long, but you can scroll through to find everyone's stories!

This celebration was hosted by Roger’s Film Friends.

Thank you Ramy Selim for orchestrating the whole event!

Obituary: https://create.epilogg.com/epilogg/view/2788

There are plans to have another celebration of life for Roger at The Oval in Prospect Park Minneapolis and in Adams, MN outside in the spring. We are still working out the details. We will announce these here and on FaceBook.

life story

a truly peaceful and kind life

Roger Allen Schmitz, 68, of Minneapolis, Minnesota died on Saturday, December 11, 2021 at M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Medical Center - East Bank Hospital.

Roger was born to Herman and Florence Schmitz on October 14, 1953. He grew up in Adams, MN and was the 4th of seven siblings. After high school he enlisted in the Navy and was stationed in Rota, Spain. He remained in the Mediterranean area after he finished his tour of duty, living and traveling in Europe and North Africa. Returning to the Twin Cities, he enrolled in formal film studies, earned an Associate of Arts degree. He worked with Film In The City before joining Aurora Pictures where he was employed as a cameraman and assistant producer making safety training films for industrial workers.

Roger entered the freelance film production world in the mid 1980's. He worked as an AC (assistant camera) and later as a DP (director of photography); occasionally as a director. He worked on several important documentaries: The Road to Guatemala, Portraits From The Cloth, Now I Lay Me, and many others. He also worked on countless commercials and later worked as a camera loader for NFL Films.

Those who worked with him absolutely adored him. They referred to him as "The Gentle Giant" as he was a very peaceful kind person. He would always greet you with "Morning sunshine! It's a beautiful day."

In his spare time, he volunteered at the Center for Victims of Torture and for international service projects in Kenya and Mongolia. His interest in Mongolia stemmed from a growing appreciation of Buddhism that began when he sponsored two refugees from Nepal.

In 1987 Roger purchased as small house in Prospect Park and quickly became an active participant in the daily life of the neighborhood. An ardent community gardener, including at the Korean Peace Garden, he belonged to the Prospect Park Garden Club. He was one of the founding members of the Oval Team that transformed an underused strip of grass land into a central meeting place for the such activities as the National Night Out. Upon retiring from Aurora Pictures, Roger started a new career as professorial handyman, painting and repairing homes throughout the neighborhood. But perhaps his most unique service was caring for the pets and houses of neighbors who were traveling.

Roger was a deeply spiritual and gentle man with a sincere appreciation for humanity and the natural world. Roger joins his mother, father and older brother Jim in passing. His brothers and sisters, David (Julie), Robert, Thomas, Mary, Ann (Robb), nine nieces & nephews, eleven great-nephews & nieces, extended family, and friends cherish Roger’s time with us and hold him in our memory.

Various memorial services are being arranged and will be announced here.

Portraits From the Cloth

A Hmong immigrant completes a tapestry telling of her family's dangerous escape from Laos and celebrating survival in a new land.

Fleeing Laos, Tia's Hmong family left everything in hope of survival. Now, settled in the Midwest, she completes a traditional tapestry as a wedding gift for her favorite niece. The tapestry tells the story of their dangerous escape and celebrates their survival in a new land, but Blong, the bride's Americanized brother, wants nothing from the old world. Yet something remains unanswered when a painful memory arises in his dreams. Tia must use her spiritual powers and Hmong traditions to mend her family's growing schism between cultures and generations. Roger was one of the Producers and much of it was filmed at his house.

https://itvs.org/films/portraits-from-the-cloth

The Road To Guatemala

A documentary about David Moot, who, for a period of his life sold used school buses in the western highlands of Guatemala. The film premiered at the Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival. Roger was the director of photography.

https://vimeo.com/426383122

Austin Daily Herald Obit

https://www.austindailyherald.com/2021/12/roger-allen-schmitz-68/

Star Tribune Obit

https://www.startribune.com/obituaries/detail/0000411557/?fullname=roger-allen-schmitz