Timothy Schmelz

Timothy (Tim) Schmelz, 48, Springfield, MO, formerly of Lignite and Flaxton, ND, passed away peacefully on Friday, November 18, 2022, surrounded by family.

Tim was born on January 12, 1974, to Donald and Maureen (Kalmbach) Schmelz in Kenmare, ND. He was raised in the Flaxton and Lignite area, attending school in Flaxton (Go Raiders!) through the 6th grade and Burke Central High School from 7th grade on through graduation. Tim would go on to be a Customs Broker for over 25 years.

Tim enjoyed volunteering and helping people. He especially loved working with organizations that helped children, such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Ronald Mc- Donald House, and Mercy Kids. Tim’s favorite, though, was Give Kids the World Village in Kissimmee, FL where he spent countless hours volunteering to ensure the families who were visiting had an amazing experience.

Tim was extremely proud of his niece and nephew and would attend every sporting event he could. He was proud to have been raised in North Dakota and loved travelling back home for pheasant hunting and beating his uncles at pinochle. Tim loved the ’80’s, especially Def Leppard, arcade games like Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, and Nintendo.

Tim had an amazing work ethic and took immense pride in everything he did. The older he got, the more he wanted his life to mean something. Tim was selfless and his goal in life was to make a difference and have a positive influence on someone’s life. His greatest hope was that someone could say, “My life is better for having known Tim.”

Tim’s motto was “When you wake up and your only goal for the day is to make a child smile, then it’s going to be a good day. Me, today.”

Tim is survived by his mother, Maureen (Laurie) Chrest, Lignite; brother, Jason (Tiffany) Schmelz; sister, Pamela (Shane Romero) Schmelz; nephew, Jayden Wheeling; niece, Makailey Romero; several aunts, uncles, cousins, and other extended family.

He was preceded in death by his father, Donald Schmelz; maternal grandparents, Marvin and Marlyn Kalmbach; and paternal granparents, Joseph and Pearl Olson.

A celebration of life service will be held on Saturday, November 26, 2022 at 2 p.m. at the Flaxton Memorial Hall in Flaxton. The service will be recorded for the public to view and can be accessed by going to https://bit.ly/3qXP5Jo. In lieu of flowers, the family request that memorials be made to Give Kids the World, your local Make-A-Wish chapter, the Ronald McDonald House, or a local charity. Those wishing to sign the online register and share memories may access the online obituaries section at (www.thompsonlarson .com).