Doris Elaine Finke Schmit

A memorial service honoring the life of Doris Elaine Finke Schmit will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, April 1, 2023 at Broadmoor Presbyterian Church, 1915 Grover Place, Shreveport, Louisiana. Officiating the service will be Reverend Dr. Jim Freeman.

Doris Elaine Finke Schmit passed away, Saturday, March 18, 2023.  She was born February 21, 1928 in a company-owned facility at the Standard Oil of New Jersey (now Exxon) “camp” across the Panuco River from Tampico, Mexico. She lived there for five years, then the family moved to Mexico City where they stayed for six years until the Mexican government expropriated all the oil companies.  She then moved with her family to The Hague, Netherlands where they lived when World War II broke out. Even with all the moving around she had wonderful memories of her childhood.

Within a year her father was transferred to Bucharest, Romania.  The family was on their way to Bucharest by way of Milan, Italy, when Germany invaded Holland in May, 1940.  Doris, her father, and her brother were Dutch citizens at the time, but the whole family got out on the last ship that took non-Americans to the U.S.  The family settled in White Plains, New York and her father worked in New York City. Doris went through junior high and high school there, and then went to Durham, North Carolina where she graduated in chemistry from Duke University.

Doris went to work for Shell Oil Company where she met the love of her life, Ken Schmit, also a chemist.  They were married for 57-1/2 years and had three children: a daughter, Karen Lynn, and two sons, Randall Scott and Russell Roy.  They lived in Houston, New York, California, and Baton Rouge.  After Ken’s retirement they moved to Prescott, AZ, where they enjoyed 17 years and were able to travel to many places.  They then moved to Shreveport to be near their daughter.

Doris was preceded in death by her husband, Ken; her parents, John and Dora Finke; and two brothers, John and Edwin.  She is survived by daughter, Karen Downs and her husband, Bruce; sons, Randy Schmit and his wife, Lori and Rusty Schmit and his wife, Kathy; a sister, Kathleen Manz and her husband, Louis; grandchildren, Jeremy Saye, Kyle Saye and his wife, Rebecca, Alyssa Schmit, Cody Schmit, and Logan Schmit; great-grandchildren, Seth, Maura, Nolan, Gianna, and Hudson; special nieces and nephews, Sue, Dick, Lauren, Terry and Carol, Steve and Kristen, and others; her special friend, Ruby; and last but not least, her “angels” Athlyn, Becky, and Kim.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials may be made to Broadmoor Presbyterian Church, 1915 Grover Place, Shreveport, LA  71105.