Jace Schmitz, founder and co-owner of JACE The Real Estate Company, passed away on the evening of January 5 while on vacation with family and friends. Jace, a Sequim resident who turned 65 in December, died of natural causes. He is survived by his wife, Eileen; his children Sica and Aaron; and his sister Janelle.
"Jace was an extremely sweet, warm, and kind soul who was a source of constant love and laughter to his friends and family," said Melissa Randazzo, a close family friend and former employee that the Schmitz family asked to make a statement on their behalf. "There was no more dedicated father, husband, friend, and businessman, and our community has lost one of its most beloved and loving people."
"Though many people will remember Jace for the black cowboy hat he wore in his ads, everyone who knew him well will remember Jace for his playful spirit and his gentle heart," said Randazzo.
Born outside of San Francisco, Jace became a Realtor in 1969, selling land in La Jolla, Calif., a seaside resort suburb of San Diego. In 1985, he moved to a 40-acre farm in Eden Valley to retire. Instead, his career as a Realtor reached new heights. In 2004, he co-founded JACE the Real Estate Company, the largest independent local real estate company in Clallam Company, with his wife Eileen.
Jace became recognizable across Clallam County due to ad campaigns designed by Eileen featuring a smiling Jace and his iconic black cowboy hat. In 2009, he became the first ever Clallam County Realtor to receive the Realtor Emeritus award from the Washington Association of Realtors and National Association of Realtors.
Jace was also an extremely active philanthropist. He was the co-founder of the Everything But Food Drive, a strong supporter of the YMCA and Port Angeles Fine Arts Center, and cosponsored over 20 local youth sports teams.
Jace's lungs were seriously injured in 2009, resulting in a near-fatal bout of pneumonia from which he never recovered. Since that time, he has worked part-time at his eponymous real estate company, turning over day-to-day operations to his wife, Eileen, as the broker of the Sequim office and his close friend, Jeanine Cardiff, as the broker of the Port Angeles office. Schmitz and Cardiff will continue in their leadership roles as JACE the Real Estate Company continues to serve the communities of the Olympic Peninsula.
To honor Jace, a passionate animal lover, his family suggests that donations can be made in his memory to the Northwest Raptor & Wildlife Center, the Sequim-based wildlife rehabilitation and rescue non-profit