Erwin R. Schmid of Allentown, died peacefully March 2, 2019, in his home.

Born June 25, 1921, in Freudenstein, Germany, he was the son of the late Paul W. and Christiane (Frick) Schmid.

He left Germany at age 8 to live with extended family in Strasbourg, France, then moved to New York City at age 16 where he completed his high school education.

He served in the U.S. Army during WWII in Europe as an officer in the Counter Intelligence Corps.

He graduated from Newark College of Engineering with a degree in electrical engineering and completed graduate studies at the New Jersey Institute of Technology and Lehigh University.

Following a 30-year engineering career at Bell Laboratories, he served as the assistant to the bishop of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and later held positions as a training director at Lehigh Data Systems, contract engineer at AT&T Bell Laboratories and part-time college lecturer.

He was a member of Christ Lutheran Church, Allentown.

His survivors include a daughter, Gloria E. Schmid of Hanover, Mass.; mother of his children, Maria B. Schmid, of Emmaus; granddaughter Shannon M. Hignite of Garner, N.C.; sister Lore Werthwein of Germany; niece Helen and husband, Lauren Nordvall, of Trumbull, Conn. and nieces and a nephew in Germany.

He was predeceased by his wife, Carolyn E. (Schlottman) Schmid; daughter Barbara M. Schmid; son Richard P. Schmid; granddaughter Jennifer M. Hignite; brothers Paul and Hugo Schmid and sisters Johanna Roller and Lisa Schwab.

Contributions may be made to St. Stephen Outreach Center of Christ Lutheran Church, 1245 W. Hamilton St., Allentown, PA 18102-4372 for the children’s after-school and summer school programs.

Arrangements made by Stephens Funeral Home Inc., Allentown.