Schmitty Award: In Memoriam

DALE J. SCHMIDTBERGER
1957 - 2003

October 21, 2003

Dear Friends, Clients, and Colleagues,

Dale Schmidtberger died last night. His family, the center of his life, was with him.

Because all of you have been so concerned about and supportive of Dale and because you lifted him up in your prayers and thoughts, I wanted you to learn of his passing in the way he would prefer – personally.

People – family, friends, co-workers, clients, colleagues – and a deep, unshakeable faith were the most important aspects of Dale's life.

Dale and Elaine built a strong, loving family. Their four sons have the memory of parents who loved each other beyond measure and who loved their children as deeply. While Elaine and the boys have challenging, tear-filled days ahead, they also hold Dale's unquestionable love for and devotion to them tightly in their hearts. And all of us who were blessed to stand in the presence of Dale's faith know his love and devotion continue from another dimension.

Dale was an outstanding civil engineer who loved what he did.  And he always judged the success of his projects by how they helped people and made life a little better. He was a person who responded to frustration and obstacles with grace and professionalism, determined to find win-win answers. Dale always remembered that any issue involves people who deserve to be heard and respected.

In his professional career, Dale designed dams, retaining walls, and bridges of concrete and steel. More importantly throughout his life, he built relationship bridges. He was a person who found joy in other people's happiness and good fortune. He was a person who put others first, who relished watching other people grow and succeed. Dale was not about reward and recognition – he was about respect. He respected other people and the result was the high regard others felt for him. He touched so many lives in so many ways for so much good.

Dale was a true and inspiring leader. People followed him not because of any authority he held, but because of who he was and how he lived. He was humble about his own work and accomplishments and celebratory about the work and accomplishments of others.

Dale was my dear friend for nearly 20 years. We shared many smiles, much laughter, and a few regrets. I could always count on his voice of reason and thoughtful insights. I could always count on his support, honesty, and integrity. He was a person who did the right thing first because that's just the person he was. He was a person whose priorities were in order.

We based Affinis on relationships because that's the way we want to do business. I realize now that Dale was one of our models. Dale was everything we wanted in a co-worker. And what is so remarkable to me is that Dale demonstrated those caring, respectful, thoughtful characteristics in every aspect of his life, both personal and professional.

I will miss Dale the rest of my life, I will cherish his friendship forever, and I celebrate his life. He has left a caring legacy for his family, his friends, his co-workers, his clients, and for Affinis.

We were all blessed to have known him, and we were blessed to walk with him as he went home. When I think of Dale, a passage from Micah comes to mind.

“. . .what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”  Micah 6:8

Dale met those requirements.

Peace and grace,

Rick Worrel