Former Kossmann Faculty Member, Long Valley Resident Dies at 58

LONG VALLEY, N.J. – Robert Schmieder watched both Long Valley and its students grow over the past five decades.

The longtime Long Valley resident died at age 58.

Schmieder, born in Brooklyn, moved to Long Valley in 1963 where he lived the rest of his life. He graduated West Morris Central in 1978 and was a retired custodian who worked at Kossmann School.

Schmieder was an avid car enthusiast, competing and winning car shows around the nation with his 1987 Firebird and is 1994 Ford Ranger Splash. He was a member of the Antique Automobile Club of America, the Pontiac Oakland Club International, and the Garden State and Keystone Chapters of the same.

Schmieder leaves behind family members Marianne Schmieder; Carolyn Van Solkema and her husband, Henry; and Thomas Schmieder and his wife Melissa.

Robert’s Life Celebration will be held Wednesday, January 13 from 4 to 8 p.m. at William J. Leber Funeral Home on Furnace Road in Chester.

A funeral service will be held on Thursday, January 14 at 11 a.m. at the funeral home with interment to follow in the German Valley Rural Cemetery in Long Valley.

Memorial donations may be made to Make-A-Wish New Jersey, Samuel & Josephine Plumeri, Wishing Place, 1347 Perrineville Road, Monroe Township, NJ 08831.