Obituary of Kurt R. Schmeller

SCHMELLER, Kurt R. 50 year resident of Glen Cove, NY on January 15, 2022 age 84. Beloved husband, father, brother & grandfather. Visitation Dodge-Thomas Funeral Home Tuesday 2-4 & 6-8pm. Service on Wednesday 11am at Dodge-Thomas Funeral Home. Interment Flushing Cemetery.

Kurt Schmeller was born on June 28, 1937 and passed away on January 15, 2022 at the age of
84. In his professional life Kurt was President of Queensborough Community College (QCC) for
thirty two years. During his tenure his accomplishments included the founding of the QCC Art
Gallery, the QCC Holocaust Center and the QCC Port of Entry program (first of its kind in our
country) designed to enhance the cultural orientation for Chinese scholars who wished to
continue their undergraduate and graduate studies in the United States. Due to these
contributions and accomplishments the QCC community named their main campus library in
honor of Kurt - The Kurt R. Schmeller Library.
Kurt was a graduate of Princeton University (PhD - Modern European History). In this realm as
historian he revised the text of the fifth edition of Hall and Davis’, The Course of Europe Since
Waterloo - a political history of the European great powers since 1815.
Kurt was also active in community affairs as Chairman of the Board of The Flushing Cemetery
Association as well as Chairman and Board Member of the City of Glen Cove School Board.
Kurt is survived by his wife of 57 years, his three children and four grandchildren.
Contributions in Kurt’s name may be made to:

Bates College
The QCC Art Gallery
The Salvation Army

A Memorial in honor of Kurt, will take place in Spring 2022.