Eileen Schmitz, age 90, a life-long resident of Arcadia, Iowa peacefully passed away on Monday, July 10, 2017 at the Hawkeye Care Center in Carroll, Iowa.
Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 15, 2017 at St. John’s Catholic Church in Arcadia. The Celebrant will be Fr. Mark Stoll. Con-Celebrants will be Fr. Steve Brodersen, and Fr. Richard Remmes. Music will be by Sharon Bierl, and the St. John’s Choir with Kathy Kelly as cantor. Lectors will be Randy Schmitz and Kelli Downing. Gift Bearers will be Ava Schmitz, Leif Schmitz, Delaney Schmitz, and Claire Schmitz. Eucharistic Ministers will be Bob Kelly, and Sister Rose Hacker. Casket Bearers will be Troy Schmitz, Travis Schmitz, Cory Schmitz, Adam Spangrud, Tony Schmitz, Kelli Downing, Rachel Schmitz, Justin Schmitz, Kelsie Schmitz, and Luke Schmitz. Burial will be in the parish cemetery.
Friends may call at the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll after 4 p.m. on Friday, where there will be a Christian Mothers Rosary prayed at 5 p.m., and a Christian Wake Service will be held at 7 p.m.
Memorials may be directed to St. John’s Parish in Arcadia, to be used for the maintenance of the stair lift.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll, and online condolences may be left for Eileen’s family at www.sharpfuneral.com.
Eileen was born September 6, 1926 in Carroll County, Iowa to Albert and Margaret (Eischeid) Hannasch. She attended school at St. John’s Grade School and graduated from St. Angela’s Academy, Carroll, Iowa in 1944. Eileen married Elmer (Porky) Schmitz on November 15, 1947 at St. John’s Church in Arcadia, Iowa.
In her younger years Eileen worked as a bookkeeper for Allis Chalmers, and later worked alongside Porky at their bar and grill (Porky’s) for many years until their retirement. From 1981-1996 she worked for the U. S. Post Office in Arcadia as a Relief Postmaster. Eileen was a member of the St. John’s Guild, Senior Citizens of Arcadia, Woodman of the World and she performed volunteer work for the Arcadia Community Club. She loved to bake and cook and often shared her talents with friends and community members for various occasions. Eileen enjoyed cooking and baking for family and friends. Later she was content playing cards and solitaire, reading, doing word search puzzles, and watching Wheel of Fortune. She loved time spent with friends and family, and especially time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Eileen is survived by her children: Linda and Tom Spangrud of Foley, Alabama, and their son Adam and his wife Brittany; Larry and Linda Schmitz of Omaha, Nebraska and their sons Troy, Travis and his wife, Julie, Tony and his wife, Erin; Randy and Betty Ann Schmitz of Boone, Iowa and their son, Cory and his wife Tanja, and daughter Kelli Downing and her husband Jeff; Jerry Schmitz (and his friend Ellen) of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and his children Rachel, Justin, Kelsie and Luke; 9 Great Grandchildren and 2 on the way; sisters Donna (Ed) Murphy, Ruth Diers and Betty Schechinger, all of Carroll, Iowa; sister-in-law Marian Schmitz and; brothers-in-law Clair (Leone) Schmitz and Eugene Schmitz, all of Arcadia, Iowa; and sister-in-law Jane Ahmann of Wayne, Nebraska.
Eileen was preceded in death by her husband Elmer (Porky) Schmitz, her parents Albert and Margaret Hannasch, parents-in-law Theodore and Barbara Schmitz, her infant brother Alvin, her Granddaughter Tracy Schmitz, brothers-in-law Jack Schmitz and wife Gladys, Don Schechinger, Don Diers, Mark Ahmann.
