May 9, 1935 – December 30, 2025
Loren E. Schmierer was born in Lodi, Calif., in 1935. He was raised by his parents, Ted and Elsie, on a vineyard until he left to attend college at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo.
Before finishing college, he married his high school sweetheart, joined the U.S. Navy, and they were stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. After two years of active duty, he went into the Reserves to serve out another four years and finish a degree in Animal Husbandry from CalPoly.
In 1966, and after the birth of two of his children, he was offered a job with Eli Lilly in Indianapolis in their agricultural division, Elanco. It was during his first couple years with Elanco in Indiana that Loren began his interest in growing pumpkins for the public. This passion grew into a business, growing pumpkins for families to enjoy a farm experience and pick pumpkins directly from the field. To expand on his idea, Loren bought a farm just east of Noblesville and moved his family, which had now grown to three children.
While developing his passion for what became Stonycreek Farm into a viable business, Elanco asked Loren to head up marketing and sales of its agricultural products in South America, so he took up the challenge and moved his family to Colombia. While there, the Schmierers added to their family by adopting a native-born baby girl. A few years later, Elanco moved them to their office in Mexico City for a few years.
Not long after returning to Indiana, he retired from Lilly to manage Stonycreek Farm on a full-time basis as his own boss. Stonycreek Farm became a well-known attraction of central Indiana for decades until Loren’s second retirement 10 years ago.
Loren was an active member of the Noblesville and Hamilton County community. Besides being a business owner, he was a part of many community and charitable organizations developing and supporting the community, such as a member of the Chamber of Commerce and Director of Habitat for Humanity of Hamilton County.
Loren is survived by his four children, Katharine, Kirk, Kyle, and Karee, five grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. His desire was not to have a service or burial.