LOIS SCHMIDT

1921 - 2010

Lois Margaret Schmidt, loving and devoted wife of the late Wayne "Bud" Schmidt, formerly of Taber, passed away suddenly on Thursday, December 23, 2010 at the age of 89 years.
The Funeral Service will be held at the Knox United Church, 4929 – 50 Avenue, Taber on Friday, December 31, 2010 at 1:00 P.M. with Reverend Arij Langstraat officiating.
Lois will be dearly missed by her loving and devoted daughter, Kathryn Petrunia and grandchildren Marc, Trent & Eric along with his wife Tiffany and daughter Shea. She is also survived by her sisters Dorothy Engelstad, Shirley Goodfellow, Louise Noble and Phyllis Cumming; her brother John Jespersen; her daughter Eleanor (Gordon) Munkholm of Cochrane and grandchildren Clinton (Jenny), Andrea, Susan, Tanya and great grandchildren, Seamus & Cailean. She will be deeply missed by her “adopted” children Charlie & Helen Arndt and their family.
She was predeceased by her husband of sixty five years, Bud; son Ben; parents Chris & Hazel Jespersen; brother David Jespersen and her son-in-law Tom Petrunia.
Lois was born July 3, 1921 in Holmquist, South Dakota, the fifth of nine children born to Chris and Hazel Jespersen. She lived her earliest years in South Dakota and her family moved in 1933 to the farm owned by her grandfather, Jorgen “John” Jespersen in the Wadena District south of Taber. She attended Wadena School and most of her high school in Taber, but spent her graduation year in Casper, Wyoming with her Aunt Florence. Lois often reminisced of this time and said that it was the happiest year of her life. Returning to Taber after graduation, she worked at the RCA store and wrote for the Taber Times. On June 16, 1942 she married Bud Schmidt who grew up a half mile up the road from her and they spent the next forty eight years farming together, fishing, shooting and spending time with many family and friends in the Wadena district. In 1990 they moved “into town” and Lois continued to be a devoted wife to Bud until his passing in 2007. She loved music, playing the piano, crocheting and tatting beautiful handicrafts; telling stories and growing the most beautiful geraniums in Taber! She was a dedicated member of Knox United Church, the Eastern Star, the Ladies Aid, the Hospital Auxiliary, the Garden Club and many other community organizations.