Erwin R. Schmid, 97, of Allentown, died peacefully March 2, 2019, in his home. Born in Freudenstein, Germany, he was the son of the late Paul W. and Christiane (Frick) Schmid. He left Germany at the age of eight to live with extended family in Strasbourg, France and moved to New York City at the age of 16 where he completed his high school education.

He served in the U.S. Army during World War II 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, 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.

He is survived by a daughter, Gloria E., of Hanover, Mass.; mother of his children, Maria B., of Emmaus; granddaughter, Shannon M. Hignite, of Garner, N.C.; sister, Lore Werthwein, of Germany; niece, Helen and her husband Lauren Nordvall, of Trumbull, Conn.; other nieces and a nephew of Germany. He was predeceased by his wife, Carolyn E. (Schlottman); daughter, Barbara M.; son, Richard P.; granddaughter, Jennifer M. Hignite; brothers, Paul and Hugo 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, 18102-4372 for the children’s after school and summer school programs.

Arrangements were made by the Stephens Funeral Home, Inc., Allentown.