UPDATED Wednesday, September 9, 2009 --- 5:50 p.m.

Obituary for Dr. Benjamin Schmidt:
Courtesy Watertown Daily Times:

Benjamin Schmidt

WATERLOO - Dr. Benjamin T. Schmidt, 48, of Waterloo, passed away on Monday, Sept. 7, 2009, following an accident at his home.

Dr. Schmidt was born on Dec. 5, 1960, in Boone County, Ill., the son of Benjamin “Teddy” and Jane (Hopkins) Schmidt. He moved with his family to the Sandy Knoll farm, rural Waterloo, in 1968 and was always an immense help to his family and their dairy operation. He graduated from St. John's Lutheran Elementary School in Waterloo and was a 1979 graduate of Waterloo High School. He went on to graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in 1983. Ben was a graduate from the Medical College of Wisconsin in 1988 and completed his general surgery internship in 1989 in Milwaukee and family practice residency in 1992 in Madison. He started his Waterloo practice in 1992.

Dr. Schmidt was a member of the AOA Honor Society, AMA and American Association of Family Practitioners. He was the Waterloo Fireman of the Year in 1997 and received the fire department's Dedicated Service Award in 2001. He has received AMA Physicians Recognition awards every year since 1996. He served as the medical director of the Waterloo Fire and EMS and was medical director for the fire service program at MATC since 1996. He was on the medical staff of Watertown Regional Medical Center and Columbus Community Hospital. He attended the Waterloo United Methodist Church.

Ben loved medicine, the Waterloo Fire Department, golf, avid Packer fan and farming.

Dr. Schmidt was an iconoclast and had a tremendous philosophy about life.

He married Marlys Knowles on July 7, 1984, at Waterloo United Methodist Church.

Survivors include his wife, Marlys Schmidt of Waterloo; three children, Ted (fiancee Brianna) Schmidt, Mindy (Andy) Crave and Missy Schmidt, all of Waterloo; his mother, Jane (Robert) Mrochinski of Pahrump, Nev.; a sister, Rebecca (Rick) Abendroth of Waterloo; his father- and mother-in-law, William and Marilyn Knowles of Watertown; also survived by aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his father and a sister, Sarah.

Memorials to Waterloo Fire and EMS Supporters, Inc. would be appreciated.

Visitation will be held on Thursday from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Waterloo Fire House.

A private family service will be held on Friday at the Waterloo United Methodist Church with the Rev. Markus Wegenast officiating.

Pederson Funeral Home of Watertown is caring for the family. Online condolences may be made at www.pedersonfuneralhomes.com.

Pederson Funeral Home 143 S. Washington St. Waterloo

________________________________________________

UPDATE: Tuesday, September 8, 2009 -- 9:45 p.m.
By: Barclay Pollak

A tragic accident in Waterloo. A man died Monday night after the tractor he was driving rolled over and crushed him.

The Waterloo Fire and Rescue Department doesn't allow its volunteers to respond to calls involving family members. That made it very difficult to decide who would respond to a call involving Doctor Benjamin Schmidt -- because to just about everyone he was family.

"Everybody knows the family. Everybody knows 'Doc Ben.' "

Fire Chief Vern Butzine has been with the Waterloo Fire and Rescue Department for 29-years.

For 15 of those years, Doctor Benjamin Schmidt served along side him as the city's EMS Medical Director.

"I just don't know if anybody else has given this much to the community, " says Butzine.

Wesley Benisch, the Assistant Fire Chief, responded to the call Monday night at the Doctor's home just outside of the city's limits.

He says even though he was there and saw ' Doc Ben ' pinned under his tractor, the reality still hasn't set in.

"It's going to take some time. The Doc and I we go back a long ways and it's going to take some time."

At the clinic where the Doctor worked, the doors were shut Tuesday -- and someone, maybe one of his patients, left flowers for the doctor.

"They will, I would imagine, need to get another doctor in here. But, I don't care who it is those shoes will never be filled...ever...never."

14-years ago "Doc Ben" helped bring Lori Schey's son into the world.

Schey says that's something she won't forget--and she hopes the Doctor is someone this close knit community won't forget either.

Chief Butzine says, " We're having a hard time. We really are and it's understandable. We lost a great man."

Tomorrow night in Waterloo at Fireman's Park there will be a candle light vigil for Doctor Ben Schmidt.

It will start at 8 p.m.

________________________________________________

Posted Tuesday, September 8, 2009 --- 2:30 p.m.

Waterloo physician Dr. Benjamin Schmidt died Monday evening in a tractor rollover accident.

According to the Dodge County Sheriff's Department, Dr. Schmidt was mowing a ditchline when the accident occurred. His John Deere Tractor was pulling a mower when it overturned.

Dr. Schmidt was raised in Waterloo. After attending medical school, he returned to his hometown to practice.

The clinic where he worked was closed today. Dr. Schmidt is the EMS Director for the Waterloo Fire Department.

A vigil is set for tomorrow night (Wednesday night) at 8:00 p.m. at Firemen's Park.

Waterloo Mayor Robert Thompson told the Watertown Daily Times today that, on behalf of the city of Waterloo he was passing along condolences to the Schmidt family. “Dr. Schmidt was always generous with his time and will be missed,” he said. “In his capacity as the Waterloo Fire Department's voluntary emergency medical director, he provided service above and beyond the call of duty. As a doctor operating a Waterloo medical practice, he brightened the lives of countless area citizens.”

NBC15's Barclay Pollak is in Waterloo. Watch for his report on NBC15 News at 6:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.