John “Jay” Charles Schmelzer. John was born on October 27, 1966 and his large and loving heart stopped beating on March 2, 2020.
John was preceded in death by his father Gerard (Gerry) Schmelzer. He is survived by his two sons, Nicholas and Michael Schmelzer whom he loved more than words can say. He is also survived by his loving and devoted mother, Joan (Jody) Schmelzer of Silver Spring, MD; sisters Karen Jacobsen (Kerry) of Pittsburgh PA, and Kathleen Burke (Martin) of San Juan Capistrano CA, nieces and nephews: Martin, Colin, Katherine, Jack, Therese and Mark; Jared Haanes Olsen (Maura) his “brother” and closest friend a man can have, and a host of cousins and life-long friends.
Also known as “dad, Uncle Jay, Jay-Bird, YoYo, J-Man, and Johnny Boy,” John was deeply loved by everyone who knew him. He grew up in Silver Spring Maryland, and was a beloved member of St. John the Evangelist Community where he attended grade school. After graduating from Our Lady of Good Counsel High School, John attended the University of Maryland where he majored in Finance. He spent a few years working for the Secret Service and he worked for Freddie Mac for the past 21 years.
John will be remembered for so many things. First and foremost, he was the funniest person anyone has ever met. He could tell a story like no one else, and he could make you laugh even when you didn’t feel like laughing. He accomplished this by exaggerating, well, almost everything! There was nothing he would not do to help others. He was kind, thoughtful, and generous. He truly cared about every single person he met. He listened and he loved. There are too many acts of kindness to mention, and many went unnoticed.
The family will receive friends at St. John the Evangelist Church, 10103 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring MD 20902, on Sunday March 8 from 6-8:30pm and Monday March 9 from 10-11am with a mass of Christian burial immediately following at 11am. Interment will be private.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Bishop Ireton Catholic High School, 201 Cambridge Rd. Alexandria VA 22314. We also ask that everyone reading this perform a random act of kindness for a total stranger. Help to spread the love that John shared with all of us.