Wilma Schmidt

TAMA — Wilma Jane Schmidt, 86, of Tama passed away Monday, March 5, 2012, at Carrington Place in Toledo under the care of Iowa River Hospice.

A funeral service will be on Friday, March 9, at 10:30 a.m. at Kruse-Phillips Funeral Home in Tama with Pastor Bonnie Koeppen officiating.  Interment will follow at Maple Grove Cemetery in rural Tama.  Visitation will be on Thursday, March 8 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Kruse-Phillips Funeral Home in Tama.

Wilma was born on Feb. 2, 1926, in rural Poweshiek County south of Tama, the daughter of Elmer and Clara (Mohrfeld) Weitzell. She grew up in the Sheridan area. Wilma graduated from Tama High School in 1943.  On June 1, 1945, she was united in marriage to Merl Schmidt at her home in rural Tama. Wilma was a homemaker and later worked at the Grinnell Hospital as a cook.  She was a member of the Sheridan United Methodist Church and Fraternal Order of Eagles Auxiliary.  Wilma was formerly the Sheridan Township Farm Bureau chairperson and a 4-H leader.

Preceding her in death were her parents; her husband Merl in 1975; son, Robert Schmidt; a daughter in infancy; one granddaughter; and two great-grandchildren.

Survivors include three children, Richard (Marsha) Schmidt of Des Moines, Mary Lynn (Perry) Thompson of Newton, and John Charles (Virginia “Cricket”) Schmidt of Tama; daughter-in-law, Linda Schmidt Maitland of Keystone; twelve grandchildren; twenty-eight great grandchildren; three great-great grandchildren; one sister Dorothy Bell of Mt. Pleasant; one brother, Bob (special friend, Phyllis Bethords) Weitzell of Tama; and several nieces and nephews.

A memorial fund has been established.