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Ty W. Schmidt
Ty Walter Schmidt, 55, passed away in Omaha, Nebraska, surrounded by the love, thoughts, and prayers of those who cherished him. Though his loss leaves an unimaginable void, the love, friendships, and memories he created will live on through countless stories, traditions, and late-night laughter. One of the clearest reflections of Ty’s character was the devotion he showed to his grandmother while living in Virginia. Every Sunday, he drove her to church, cherishing the time they spent together and happily letting her church friends believe the cherry red Camaro he drove belonged to her, a small gesture that perfectly reflected his humility, humor, and love for making others feel special.
Ty is survived by his parents, Robert and Pamela Schmidt; his sister, Tracy Schmidt; his wife and soulmate, Diane Ratigan-Schmidt; and his beloved stepchildren, Drew and Tessa Kortus, Reilly Kortus and boyfriend Jordin Smith (and grandpuppy Odyn), Paige Kortus (and grandpuppy Bandit), and Seth Kortus. Though he never had biological children of his own, Ty embraced Diane’s children fully and wholeheartedly, becoming not only a stepfather, but a trusted role model, protector, encourager, and father figure. Their children were a bright light in his life, and he loved each of them deeply, taking great pride in the people they had become.
Ty’s life was shaped by movement, adaptability, and adventure from an early age. Because of his father’s work leading research, development, fabrication, and metalworking operations around the country, Ty spent his childhood and young adult years living in Wisconsin, Alabama, Tennessee, West Virginia, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. No matter where life took him, he carried with him a grounded humility, easy kindness, and quiet ability to make people feel welcomed and valued.
Ty’s life was grounded in family, friendship, and adventure. Some of his happiest memories were made on fishing trips with his dad and sister, hunting trips in the mountains, family vacations to the Outer Banks, cruises, and long motorcycle rides across the country with Tracy and close friends. Ty proudly owned a Harley-Davidson motorcycle and embraced the freedom and camaraderie that came with the open road, often traveling cross-country while gathering lifelong memories and friendships.
Ty lived a life built not around status or attention, but around presence. He showed up. He loved deeply. He laughed often. He cooked incredible meals. He made people feel included. He protected the people he cared about. He built friendships that lasted decades and a love story that somehow found its way back home after almost thirty years apart.
His absence will be felt endlessly, but so will his impact. Some people enter your life briefly and leave small footprints. Ty left fingerprints on hearts everywhere he went.
And for those lucky enough to have known him, loved him, laughed with him, traveled beside him, fished beside him, danced beside him, or simply sat quietly with him, the world feels both infinitely better for having had him in it and impossibly harder without him here.
The Man & The Believer
Those who knew Ty knew he was the kind of man who was fiercely loyal, deeply compassionate, faithful, endlessly helpful, and remarkably genuine. If someone needed help, Ty showed up. No questions asked. No need for recognition. He simply believed that taking care of people mattered.
Ty worked alongside his dad in their company, Systems Engineering and Manufacturing, and remained a vital and trusted part of the business operations throughout his life, even after moving away from Virginia. Outside of work, he built a life filled with hobbies, passions, friendships, and experiences that reflected his curiosity and love for connection. He was an avid and talented pool player who competed recreationally and nationally. He loved fishing, concerts, cooking, traveling, gathering people together, and creating moments worth remembering.
One of Ty’s greatest gifts was his ability to build community. Through his church, he helped lead a group called “Hooked for Life,” which gives children opportunities to explore faith, friendship, and life lessons through fishing and mentorship outside traditional church walls. It perfectly reflects who Ty was, someone who believed some of the best conversations in life happen side-by-side, outdoors, with patience and kindness.
The Partner
But perhaps one of the best stories of Ty’s life was his love story with Diane.
The two first met as teenagers at their junior-year homecoming dance. Diane had attended with another date, but Ty asked to cut in for a dance and never really gave her back for the rest of the night. From that night forward, they were inseparable.
Life eventually pulled them in different directions, and after years apart, Diane married and raised four children while Ty remained quietly rooted in the love he had always carried for her. They later reconnected and quickly realized the bond between them had never truly faded. What followed was a second chance neither expected but both embraced wholeheartedly. They married in 2021 on Anna Maria Island, Florida, surrounded by love, beach, and water, their favorites!
Ty became Diane’s greatest supporter and loudest encourager. He believed wholeheartedly in her vision, her work, her voice, and the book she has now spent years writing. He often joked that once her book launched and her speaking career fully took off, he would proudly serve as her “entourage,” traveling the world alongside her as she helped organizations and leaders think differently about people, healing, and leadership. Diane claims the book would never have existed without Ty’s unwavering belief in her.
The Community of Friends
Together, Ty & Diane also rediscovered and deepened friendships that became central to their lives. Ty reconnected with lifelong high school friends, relationships rooted in loyalty, history, playing pool, music, fishing trips, garage parties, lake weekends, weddings, graduations, and countless unforgettable nights together.
He was also lovingly welcomed into Diane’s “tribe,” a close-knit circle of women and their husbands known affectionately for hosting and caring for one another through every celebration life could offer. Through pool parties, fish fries, Oktoberfest gatherings, and milestone events of every kind, Ty found not just friendships, but family.
Ty and Diane shared many meaningful traditions together, from helping dear friends ready their pool for summer celebrations to always stopping whatever they were doing when they noticed “22” on a clock or elsewhere in life, using it as a reminder to pause and say, “I love you.” to those around them.
Celebrate Ty
A Celebration of Life honoring Ty will be held on June 6th, 2026. Family and friends are welcome to celebrate in any of the following events and or means of honoring Ty:
- The devotional at the Hooked for Life event at Lawrence Youngman Lake at 192nd and Dodge Street in Omaha at 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM.
- A visitation will be held at 4:30 PM at Waters Edge Church, 19200 Harrison Street
- A celebration service beginning at 5:22 PM, because Ty would want one final reminder to tell everyone he loves them.
