SCHOEMAN, Mildred Amelia (Nieman) 1910-2013
SCHOEMAN, NIEMAN, MILROY, WOLFMEYER
Posted By: S. Bell
Date: 9/16/2013 at 23:55:58
[Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, Sunday, July 14, 2013]
Mildred Schoeman, 103, went to her eternal home on July 9, 2013, at New Aldaya Lifescapes in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
Mildred Amelia (Nieman) Schoeman was born March 21, 1910, on the new home farm near Delhi, Iowa, to August and Mary (Steva) Nieman. She was baptized on May 29, 1910, in Immanuel Lutheran Church, Earlville, Iowa, the same church where she later was confirmed and married.
Mildred attended Iowa State Teachers College and taught in one-room schoolhouses at Sand Springs, Sunny Ridge and Pleasant Valley and attended summer sessions at ISTC for five years prior to her marriage. She and Harold R. Schoeman were united in marriage on July 6, 1933, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Earlville, with Rev. W. A. Adix officiating. They began married life on an acreage they rented on Castle Hill, Rainbow Drive in Waterloo. It was here they began their Guernsey dairy herd using a wedding present from her parents to buy three cows, two with calves. In 1941 they moved to a farm west of Cedar Falls, which they named “Fairmount Guernsey Farm”, and which would be her home for over seventy years.
At one time, their dairy cows were some of the highest milk producing Guernsey’s in the state. In the 1970’s she received state and national awards for her soil conservation efforts.
In addition to the cattle, Mildred raised Pekingese dogs and Harold was a poultry fancier showing waterfowl at many competitions. Later they bred and raised Border Collie and English Shepherd dogs, which they sold to people in every state, U.S. territories and Canada. They met many wonderful, interesting people through this business and made some life-long friends
When a tragic farm accident took the life of her beloved husband in 1955, she was left with a farm to run and three young children to raise. With a strong faith and the support of family she was successful at both. In January 1957, she faced more challenges when fire destroyed the barn, silo and 45 head of dairy cattle.
She carried on by starting a herd of Aberdeen Angus.
Mildred raised four children: a niece, Mary Lou (Milroy) Hunter, adopted sons Richard and Albert Schoeman and grandson Isaiah C. Schoeman. She and Harold were foster parents to many other children and youth. They also sponsored two refugee families in the early 1950’s.
Mildred enjoyed traveling and visited the Holy Land. She made numerous trips to visit her nieces and their families. She particularly liked traveling by train with her grandson Isaiah. She enjoyed estate sales and auctions and collecting china and porcelain.
She was a long-time member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Waterloo and a charter member of Ascension Lutheran Church in Waterloo.
Mildred is survived by son Richard N. Schoeman of Waterloo, grandson Isaiah C. Schoeman (Heather) of Blaine, Minn., niece Mary Lou Hunter (Densmore) of Federal Way, Wash., a brother Harold Nieman of Manchester, grandsons Ryan D Hunter (Rachel) of Dubai, UAE, Colin J Hunter and Stuart Alan Hunter of Federal Way, Wash, and three great-grandchildren Hayden, Landry and Chase Schoeman of Blaine, Minn. Surviving her also are many beloved nieces and nephews and other relatives and dear friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband, a son Albert W. Schoeman, her parents and three brothers, Walter, August and Albert Nieman, and four sisters, Josie Nieman, Mary Milroy, Velma Nieman and Louise Wolfmeyer.
Memorial gifts may be directed to Ascension Lutheran Church, Valley Lutheran School or Unity Point (formerly Allen) Hospice.
Funeral service will take place at Ascension Lutheran Church, Waterloo, Iowa on Monday, July 15, at 10 a.m. Visitation will be at Hagarty-Waychoff-Grarup Funeral Service on West Ridgeway, Waterloo today from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., and at Ascension for one hour prior to the funeral. Burial will be in the Garden of Memories in Waterloo.
Black Hawk Obituaries maintained by Karen De Groote.
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