Dr. Floyd Schmoe

Dr. Floyd Schmoe passed away on April 20, 2001 at the age of 105 years old. He  was a nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize four years in a row from 1994 - 1998. This great honor was bestowed upon him based upon a very long life of service in pursuit of Peace. Dr. Schmoe had traveled to many areas of the World helping in his own way to help people live in Peace and recover from the horrible devastation of War.

Schmoe always believed that individuals are responsible for what happens in the world. Dr Schmoe said in an interview,"You feel hopeless sometimes, but the only answer to hopelessness is to have optimism to expect things to be better - to hope that you in some way can make them better."

Dr. Schmoe was a Quaker and was always an ardent pacifist who actively helped to 
"pick up the pieces" that remain after wars had been fought.

In 1918, Dr. Schmoe volunteered for service in WWI as a medic in the Red Cross. He saw action on a number of different fronts and volunteered as a crewman on a relief train carrying emergency medical and food supplies to Poland after the Armistice was signed.

In 1942, Dr. Schmoe assisted Japanese-Americans who were interened by the US government at the beginning of WWII. Initially, he attempted to prevent the internments, but when that failed, he quit his teaching position at the University of Washington's College of Forestry, and did what he could to help make the internments less harsh. He helped to preserve businesses that they were forced to leave behind.

In 1948, leading a group of volunteers to Hiroshima, Dr. Schmoe led an effort called "Houses for Hiroshima," where they spent 5 years building houses for the survivors of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Forty years later, in 1988, he received the Hiroshima Peace Prize from the Japanese Government and was made an Honorary citizen of Japan. He also received the "Order of the Sacred Treasure of the Emperor". Dr. Schmoe's work significantly helped in mending US-Japanese relations that were severely damaged by WWII.

In 1954, Dr. Schmoe again went to build homes in Korea after that war.

In 1958, Dr, Schmoe went to the Middle East to help reopen water wells that had been damaged during the Egyptian/Israeli wars.

In 1988, Dr. Schmoe was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Tufts University.

Back to Top of Page   

This page and all contents are © 1997-2005 
by Dream Come Through Productions of Issaquah, WA