Peter Schmidt

Peter Frederick Schmidt, 36 years old, of New York City, NY passed away on February 28, 2022. Peter was born on November 9, 1985 in Toledo, Ohio and moved to Chester, NJ at the age of seven with his mother, Linda, father, Dale, and his brothers Andrew and Joshua. It was in Chester that Peter met some of his closest friends, including Gregg Whitehead and Christopher Beale.

Peter always had a penchant for adventure. His love for aircrafts stemmed from a young age when he got to ride shotgun in a seaplane while visiting Ontario with his family. His passion for aerospace was enriched by a weeklong trip to Space Camp with his father before his tenth birthday. In high school he took flight lessons at Andover Flight Academy, later earning his private pilot’s license. Peter attended Daniel Webster College in Nashua, NH, and he obtained his Associate’s degree at County College of Morris. Peter worked alongside his friend and colleague, Phil Ferrante, from 2006-2012 when he managed Certified Flyers flight school at the Morristown Airport. Peter’s favorite aircraft to fly was the Cirrus SR22. He had the remarkable ability to look up at the sky and name any aircraft that was flying by.

It was through his work in aviation that Peter met his future boss and founder of the digital agency called Fantasy, David Martin. Peter worked at Fantasy for ten years in a variety of roles, including Technology Supervisor. He spearheaded human resources and engagement initiatives such as company retreats out of state. While he worked full-time, Peter also studied at Montclair State University to earn credit towards his Bachelor’s degree. He established meaningful friendships with his colleagues at Fantasy that lasted throughout his tenure at the company.

Peter had an immense enthusiasm to seek out new experiences, and his proclivity for adventure extended well beyond aircrafts. He enjoyed going to live music at small venues in New York City and festivals across the country. He looked forward to attending Comic Con, an event where he could build camaraderie with friends. A beloved memory for Peter was when he and his mother completed their open water dives for their certifications in basic scuba in the Middle Keys of Florida; this passion continued for both Peter and Linda for many years to come. Peter had the opportunity to see just about every corner of the world. He frequently traveled to beautiful places with his friend Matthew Dank. Peter even got Megan, his future wife, to enjoy the wonders of traveling too. He slept under the stars in the Sahara, saw a blue-ringed octopus while scuba diving at dusk in the Gulf of Thailand, meandered through Joshua trees on trails at Joshua Tree National Park, and watched in awe as wildebeest crossed the Mara River in the Serengeti.

Peter is survived by his wife, Megan Reilly, and his cherished corgi, Bebop; his mother, Linda Schmidt (Kenoyer); brother Andrew Schmidt and partner Gissell Malfitano; brother Joshua Schmidt and wife Karen Deng; uncle Gary Schmidt and partner Tiffany Pitula-Clark; cousin Christopher Schmidt, his wife Lisa and their daughter Megan; cousin Daniel Schmidt, his wife Lili and their son Wyatt; uncle John Kenoyer; cousin Seth Kenoyer, his wife Ashlynn and their daughter Clara; cousin Hannah DeJonghe (Kenoyer) and husband Justin. Peter is preceded in death by his father, Dale Schmidt, and his grandparents Dorothy Hannah Kenoyer (Densmore), Frederick Kenoyer, Dorothy D. Schmidt (Smith), Frederick Charles Schmidt.

A private Celebration of Life will be held this spring.

Peter’s love for travel was on par with his enjoyment of seeing animals in their native habitats. It was a goal of his to see mountain gorillas in the Congo. Please consider donating to Peter’s Legacy Bench at the Bronx Zoo (https://www.gofundme.com/f/peters-legacy-bench-at-the-bronx-zoo). All donations that exceed the cost of the bench will be donated directly to the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). Another organization close to Peter’s heart was the Dear Jack Foundation, a non-profit that supports the well-being of young adults who are battling cancer (https://www.dearjackfoundation.org/).