Alexandria Nichol Schmitz

Alexandria Nichol Schmitz

January 30, 1989 – January 19, 2026

Alex was born in Seattle, Washington and diagnosed at age four with high functioning autism. From age two Alex loved the water. She swam on swim teams for five years and continued to swim her daily mile throughout her life. She attended Star Academy from fourth grade. This incredible school opened up new avenues of friendships, learning and empowerment.

At thirteen Alex discovered her passion in life was painting. She was brilliant in her understanding of light and reflection. She used color in unanticipated ways in her oil paintings that expressed her vibrancy and imagination in the world she created on canvas. Alex would lose herself in her paintings and it gave her the ability to “tune out” an overwhelming world. Expressing life on her canvases was her great motivation and joy.

Alex loved traveling and holidays. Her favorite destinations were Hawaii and her parents La Quinta home where she visited frequently to swim, paint and hang-out with mom and dad and her two puppies during many years of loving family celebrations.

Alex was a beautiful blessing to all who knew her. Her greatest gift was in showing us how to throw out expectations and find the joy and adventure in living each day.

Alex is survived by her mother and father Janet (Belmondo) Schmitz and Ferdinand “Ferdie” Schmitz IV of LaQuinta, her brother Robert Corbett Schmitz and sister-in-law, Caroline Schmitz of San Francisco, nephew Bryson Silas Schmitz, niece Lillian Olivia Schmitz and many loving aunts, uncles and cousins.

The family would like to thank the doctors and nurses at Sutter, Stanford and the hospice nurses at Sutter Hospice for their loving and empathetic care and guidance.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Star Academy, 4470 Redwood Hwy, San Rafael, CA 94903 (www.staracademy.org), or a charity of your choice.

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