Baker City, Oregon
Jennifer Lynn Schmitt, 19, of Baker City died Nov. 8, 2000, of a heart arrhythmia while riding her beloved horse, Onyx, near Baker City.
Her memorial service was Tuesday at the First Presbyterian Church, Fourth Street and Washington Avenue. Pastor Susan Barnes officiated. Vault interment was in Mount Hope Cemetery.
Miss Schmitt was born Feb. 16, 1981, at Baker City to Richard and Lynn Schmitt of Baker City. She was raised at Petaluma, Calif., and came to Baker City when she was 18. She attended Two Rock Union Elementary School. She graduated from Petaluma High School and was enrolled at Blue Mountain Community College in Baker City.
She loved living in the Baker Valley and meeting the many wonderful people here. She thoroughly enjoyed training horses for Carole Webb, working for the Harrell Ranch family, Albertsons market and for other ranchers in the valley. She also was recently volunteering and completed a class in the hope of gaining employment at the Baker County 911 dispatch office.
Because of her lifelong unwavering passion for horses, she was a former longtime member of Two Rock 4-H Club, Sonoma County 4-H Horse Project, Redwoods Pony Club, Petaluma Junior Riding and Driving Club and was a member of the Northeast Oregon Dressage Club. She also volunteered with the local 4-H horse clubs.
After years of honing her skills, she received awards in 4-H for Outstanding Horse Exhibitor, state record book, Western National Hippology, State Classic Showmanship and numerous competitions in riding English, jumping, dressage and team penning.
A recent highlight was obtaining a first premium grading on her horse, Onyx, from the warmblood registry. Of all her accomplishments, her proudest was of breeding for, then raising, training and successfully showing her horse, Onyx.
She had an immense love of family.
Survivors include her parents, Richard and Lynn Schmitt; her sister, Katherine, and brother, Richard, all of Baker City; grandparents, Bob and Marilyn Larsen of Petaluma, Calif.; aunts and uncles, Ken Larsen, Steve and Susan Swanson, Kriss and Carol Mungle, Alvin and Lovila Digesti, Dave, Steve, Paul and Jenna and Jon and Vanessa Schmitt, all of California; and numerous cousins from Utah and California; and special friends Shelina Moreda and the Soldati family of Petaluma, Calif.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Jennifer Schmitt Memorial Fund to benefit local youth equine pursuits (specifics to be announced) through Coles-Strommer Funeral Home, 1950 Place St., Baker City, Ore. 97814.
Used with permission from: The Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, November 17, 2000
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor
