THELMA JUNE SCHMITZ (NEE OTT)
THELMA JUNE SCHMITZ (NEE OTT)
Thelma June Schmitz (Nee Ott), 89, was called home Feb. 11, 2023, to be united with her husband and son Daniel in Heaven.
Thelma was born June 24, 1933 in Neillsville WI, to Walter and Thelma (Bulgrin) Ott. She was baptized July 6, 1933, and confirmed April 1947 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Nasonville, WI. She attended Nasonville and Marshfield schools, and Technical College in Eau Claire. She married Lamar Schmitz, her high school sweetheart, in 1949. They had five children. Dan went to Heaven in 1972.
Thelma is survived by Dick (Beth), Duane (Lynn), Dean and Darla June (Grant). Thelma and Lamar had nine grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. She and Lamar worked on the family farm from 1949 to1953. In 1964, they moved to Neillsville and bought a grocery store and turned it into a meat processing plant, called Schmitz Family Market, which they ran for 10 years; later it was turned into a restaurant called Mr. Schmitty’s Family Restaurant for another 10 years. Thelma worked at the MMC Home for 10 years. She then went back to school to get her real estate license where she worked in real estate with Tieman Realty for 25 years. Her hobbies were camping and playing Mrs. Santa Claus. Her most favorite time was spending time with her children, grand and great-grandchildren.
Funeral services for Thelma will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023, at St John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Neillsville. Pastor Timothy Biebert will officiate. Music will be provided by Judy Trunkel, organist. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15 at the Gesche Funeral Home and from 10 to 11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, at the church. Interment will be in the Town of Lynn Cemetery.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 63 years, Lamar; son Daniel; parents Walter and Thelma Ott; sisters Jeanette and her husband Orville Hansen; Elaine and her husband Norman Meissner, and sister Judy Smith.
All grandchildren will be pallbearers: Rick, Luke, Joe, Sam, David, Alex, Aric, Tina and Rachel. Honorary casket-bearers are great-grand-children Travis, Kayla, Corinne, Dayton, Daisy, Lily, Adaline, Alaia, Aiden, Millie, Mila, Xavier, Harmony, Sapphire and Henry.
Online condolences may be made at www.geschefh.com.
Gesche Funeral Home and Cremation Service is assisting Thelma’s family with funeral arrangements.