Margaret Schmidt

OBITUARY Margaret B Schmidt, 89, Alexandria; January 29, 1923 ~ November 29, 2012. Review will be Monday, December 3, from 5 to 8 P.M. with prayer service at 7 P.M. at Anderson Funeral Home, Alexandria. Mass of Christian Burial will be 1PM on Tuesday, December 4, 2012 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Alexandria. Margaret passed away at the Knute Nelson Care Center. Margaret was born to Albert and Caroline (Ledermann) Bitzan at the family home in Millerville Township in Douglas County, Minnesota on January 29, 1923 she attended District #72 grade school. She was the second of nine children. She was baptized, confirmed at Our Lady of Seven Dolors, Millerville. She grew up on the family farm on Lake Moses. On June 9, 1945 she married Philip Schmidt in Our Lady of Seven Dolors Church. It was a double wedding with her sister Irene and Leander Stariha on her parents? 25th wedding anniversary. She and Philip farmed on the Schmidt family farm northwest of Millerville until 1966. They moved to Crystal and remained there until Margaret's retirement in 1988 when they moved to Alexandria. Margaret is survived by her two daughters and three sons and their spouses, Carol (Marty) Strong of Minneapolis, Albert of Maple Grove, Joseph (JoAnn) of Andover, Vera (Steve) Schmidt of Fridley, and Leon (Theresa) of Otsego. She is also survived by seven grandchildren, Stefanie (Jeremiah) Longstrom, Tierra (Paul) McDearmon, Joseph McDearmon, Adam Schmidt, Jacqueline Schmidt, Lauren (Michael) Jones, and Richelle Schmidt. Five great grandchildren; Olivia Schmidt, Taydin, Madelyn, and Alyssa Jones, Angelina Bausworth. Also survived by four brothers and sisters, Edward of Evansville, Bernadine Schiele of Millerville, James (Carol) of Onamia, Charles (Sue) of Fridley, brother-in-law, George Dorn of St. Cloud; numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband Philip; her parents; daughter, Joan, in 1965; and her siblings, Dorothy Bitzan, Irene Stariha, Robert Bitzan, Florence Dorn; brothers-in-law, Leander Stariha and Wilfred Schiele; grandson, Andrew Schmidt and granddaughter, Melissa Schmidt. Margaret loved gardening and was a talented tailor and seamstress. She worked for J W Thomas in Minneapolis in the early forties before marrying Philip. After raising her family she returned to tailoring at Walbom's and later Dayton's Oval Room until her retirement. She especially enjoyed quilting with her friends at the Senior Center in recent years. Arrangements are with the Anderson Funeral Home in Alexandria www.andersonfuneral.net