Barbara Lynn Schmit

Type of Donation:          organs, tissue and corneas

Age and Location:          Age 65 – Tustin, CA

Donation Date:             2/02/2021

Sponsor:                   Honored by OneLegacy

BARBARA’S STORY

Barbara Lynn Schmit was purposeful in living her life like it was Christmas every day. She was extremely hard working in every aspect of her life, dedicated, loyal, honest, ambitious and adventurous...always playful and satisfied She was interested in everything, from woodworking club, to Geo Catching, hiking, kayaking, teaching scuba diving. She was a volunteer diver at Shed Aquarium, she did curling in Canada, she loved camping, softball tournaments, hiking and she was the neighborhood’s handywoman. No one was a stranger and she made everyone feel appreciated. This devoted spouse, and family member was loved by all.

Barbara received many pinnacle awards as a superior athlete, share was inducted into All Sports Hall of Fame in High School, enshrined for softball and basketball at the University of Shippensburg, and she received a meritorious award for Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame, volunteerism in City of Downey Rose Bowl Floats, races for Diabetes, and donating platelets and blood at the Red Cross for 2 decades. She created wooden toys for children at Christmas in O.C. and she received a recognition for woodworking and photography entries at the O.C. County Fair.

Barbara traveled extensively as a Sales Representative for Office Supply Products, and she made a difference by being "on call" to clients and colleagues in airport shuttles, last minute guest speaker engagements, tech support and other customer service needs.

She was an avid morning walker and jogger and she was an advocate for staying healthy, only to die suddenly and unexpected at 65 from a double brain aneurysm. Her spouse knew that she wanted to donate her organs, tissues, eyes, bones, and her body to science. "It is important to me that other people regardless of their age, ethnicity, gender or religion have the same opportunities I have had."

She would never consider herself a generous person or a hero, her spouse along with her family and friends, certainly think so. So would the three women who received her organs, her cornea recipient in Egypt, and the 326 tissue graft recipients in various states between the ages of 13-84.