September 14, 1947 – December 29, 2025

David Schmillen, born September 14, 1947, passed away December 29, 2025. He was a member of our Orcas Island community beginning in the early 1970s and was always a character, literally. In 1971 he performed in the Orcas Players “Man Who Came to Dinner” and continued performing throughout the decades. In 1973, he was in “HARVEY;” 1974 he performed as the villain Mortimer Frothingham in “Pure as the Driven Snow;” he was then in “A Christmas Carol” in 1975, “Fantasticks” in 1978, “The Drunkard: The Fallen Saved” in 1980, “A Child’s Christmas in Wales” in 1982, “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” in 1983, “The Real Inspector Hound” in 1985, “The Lion in Winter” in 1986, “Requiem for a Heavyweight” in 1987, “Tartuffe” (starring) in 1988, “The Shawl” and “Lone Star” in 1990, “Midsummer Night’s Dream” in 1992. In 1993 he portrayed Colonel Melkett in “Black Comedy,” The Islands’ Sounder declaring “His voice booms with the force of a trained actor, and, once again, islanders are treated to a performance by a man who puts guts and soul into every line.” He had a brilliant mind and a talent for set-building and construction, contributing so much to Orcas Island.

An avid reader, David bequeathed his possessions (including an extensive collection of valuable books) to the Orcas Island Library. Any proceeds from the sale of the books will support library operations, collections, and programs. Books will be available for purchase at the Friends of the Orcas Island Library lobby store in the library, at the annual Library Fair, and online via the Friends’ ebay store. (But don’t tell David about the new-fangled way the Library’s Friends get rare books to collectors these days; he apparently was quite put out when the Library dropped the card catalog and went electric.)