Ray was the one of eleven sons and six daughters of Henry John SCHMITT (1880-1939) and Anna Katherine GEIMER (1883-1963), and a grandson of John SCHMITT (1843-1906) and Anna Maria KOCH (1854-1925), natives of Germany. Ray's family was prominent in the business, religious, and cultural life in Two Rivers.

His Obituary "Ray attended St. Luke's Grade School and St. Norbert High School, graduating with the Class of 1926. He then attended St. Norbert College, graduating with honors in 1930. Ray then joined the Schmitt Lumber Company, retiring in 1986 as Vice-President of Operations.

Ray spent his entire adult life at Two Rivers. There he was a former member of the Knights of Columbus and Rotary Club. Ray played an active role in the formation of Holy Redeemer Church in 1957 and Mueller Manor, named in honor of the church's first pastor, Rev. John MUELLER.

Ray had a profound love of music and was an accomplished pianist and organist. He accompanied the St. Luke's and Holy Redeemer men's choirs for many years, but one of the joys of his life was accompanying the Schmitt Brothers Quartet when they performed in church for various functions. It was at Ray's urging that his brothers, Joe, Jim, Frank, and Paul formed a barbershop quartet in 1948. He spent countless hours practicing with the quartet at the Schmitt home on 17th and Monroe St., and on June 9, 1951 their work was rewarded when the quartet was crowned the International Champions of SPEBSQSA (Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America). Ray was the manager of the quartet for many years, scheduling their singing engagements."

Ray was preceded in death by eight brothers: Sylvester (b. 1905), Rev. Henry SCHMITT (b. 1906), Bernard (b. ca. 1912), Al (b. ca. 1915), Francis (b. ca. 1916), Rev. Leo SCHMITT (b. 1917), Joe (b. 1926), and Paul (b. 1928), and by four sisters, Agnes (b. ca. 1907) (TADDY), Dr. Louise SCHMITT (b. 1910), Mary Margaret (BIRR) (b. 1923), and Jean (STEDMAN) [His Obituary].

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City cemetery records contain the following:
Name: Schmitt, Raymond
Age: 93
Burial Date: 7-27-2002
Type: I (Interment or Regular Burial)
Veteran: N (Never A Veteran)