Lewis Earl Schildmeier

July 2, 1938 – September 27, 2026

Lewis Earl Schildmeier (Louie), 88, a loving husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away September 27, 2026.

Louie was born July 2, 1938, in Arcadia. He grew up on a small family farm where they raised and sold chickens. Louie participated in 4-H, where his prize chicken won Grand Champion at the Hamilton County Fair and sixth place at the Indiana State Fair. He was also a talented artist and painter during his junior high and high school years. Several of his paintings continue to decorate the walls of family members’ homes to this day.

Louie was a graduate of Jackson Central High School in the Class of 1956. Following graduation, he was employed by Firestone Industrial Products in Noblesville. He simultaneously continued his education by taking classes at Lain Technical College in Indianapolis, where he studied drafting and tool and die design, earning an associate’s degree. During his career, Louie worked in various roles at Firestone, including as a draftsman, a mechanical engineer, and supervisor over plant maintenance, retiring in 1995 after 38 years of dedicated service. During extended layoffs from his primary job during the 1960s, Louie worked for Harold Rigsby Home Construction, where he mastered carpentry and masonry skills. He also worked briefly at Allison Transmission in Indianapolis. After a few years of retirement, Louie went back to work, taking a job at Hamilton Heights School Corporation as a custodian, retiring again in 2014. Louie also was a real estate investor and landlord and maintained his real estate brokerage license for many years.

On December 30, 1960, Louie married Betty (Womack) Schildmeier. Louie built a new house in Arcadia shortly after their marriage, where they began their family by having two sons. After a few years, they relocated to Atlanta, where they became longtime residents, living in the same house for over 61 years.

Louie was a very talented and meticulous man who enjoyed working with his hands. In his spare time, Louie found joy in working on cars, building and remodeling houses, and maintaining their home and investment properties. If Louie built it, you could rest assured it was level, plumb, and square. He was also able to fabricate just about anything to make repairs to whatever needed fixing. If it was broken, Louie could find a way to fix it; he was a true do-it-yourselfer. He also enjoyed old classic cars and trucks and often reminisced about some of his favorite vehicles he had owned over the years. Louie enjoyed watching TV, especially football, NASCAR races, and old westerns.

Louie was a supportive man whose greatest joy was his family. He would do anything he could to help others with projects that needed done, offering invaluable insights and advice whenever and wherever he could. He is survived by his loving wife of over 65 years, Betty Schildmeier; his sons, Jimmy Schildmeier and Bryan (Diana) Schildmeier, both of Atlanta; his grandchildren, Heather (Derek) Sylte, James (fiancée Heidi) Schildmeier, Craig Schildmeier, and Brianna Schildmeier; his great-granddaughter Sophia Sylte, and several nieces and nephews. Louie was predeceased by his parents, Lewis Frederick and Eva (Coy) Schildmeier; sisters, Norma Comer and Naomi Johnson; and brothers, Glenis, Donald, and Harold Schildmeier.

Visitation for Louie will be held from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday, October 10, 2026, at Hartley-Dunnichay Funeral Home, 209 W. Jackson St., Cicero. The funeral service will follow at 11 a.m. at the same location with Pastor Jody Brown officiating. Burial will take place following the funeral service at Arcadia Brethren Cemetery, and a luncheon for friends and family will be held at the Arcadia Town Hall following Louie’s graveside service.

We encourage all who knew and loved Louie to leave memories and upload photos to his memorial page. His legacy lives on in the lives of those he loved and the many structures and objects he crafted with his talented hands.

Condolences: hartleyfuneralhomes.com