Longtime Fireman Schmidt Had Passion For Profession

NORTHBROOK, IL — Bernhardt “Bernie” Schmidt loved everything about being a fireman. He especially enjoyed passing on his knowledge of the profession to countless fellow fighters over the course of a career that spanned nearly 50 years. Schmidt, 89, died on April 27.

According to the Village of Northbrook, the longtime Northbrook resident joined the Northbrook Fire Department in 1961 when it was all-volunteer unit. Schmidt was promoted to a lieutenant in 1968 and became a paid on-call lieutenant when the volunteer fire department was dissolved in 1980.

Later in his career, he was promoted to a paid on-call captain in 2000 and retired in 2007 after 46 years.

The Fire Department was a big part of Schmidt’s life, according to the Village of Northbrook. He loved the organization, the work, and the people. He was very dedicated and took on leadership roles. He liked teaching and passing on his knowledge. Many career firefighters, who came through Northbrook’s paid on-call program here and on other departments, were beneficiaries of that knowledge. He was well liked and respected. The Fire Department will participate in a memorial that will be held by his family sometime this summer.

Schmidt was buried May 6 in Glenview. He is survived by his wife, Jean, and daughters, Pamela Marr and Lisa Robinson, among others.