FORD, Mildred K.

FORD, MULLENBURG, GRAVENISH, SCHMILLEN, DONALDSON, KOHN, SORGDRAGER

Posted By: Lynette Edsall (email)
Date: 5/22/2007 at 10:54:56

Mildred K. Ford, 79, of Cherokee, died peacefully Saturday May 19, 2007, at her home following a brief illness.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Cherokee, with the Rev. Armand Bertrand officiating. Burial will be in Mount Calvary Cemetery, Cherokee. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. today with a rosary by the Catholic Daughters at 4 p.m. and a prayer service at 7 p.m. at the Greenwood Funeral Home, Cherokee. Online condolences may be directed to www.greenwoodfuneral.com

Mildred was born March 26, 1928 to Mathew and Margaret (Mullenburg) Gravenish on the family farm near Meriden, Iowa. She graduated from Meriden High School in 1947. On Oct. 16, 1947 she married Bob Schmillen at Maryhill Catholic Church, rural Cherokee. Bob preceded her in death on Nov. 9, 1982. Mildred helped on the farm, raising her children and tending to her large garden.

On Aug. 24, 1985 she married LeRoy "Herb" Ford at IC Catholic Church, Cherokee. She enjoyed traveling, shopping, needlework, and she was an excellent cook. Mildred was a member of the Quilt Batts, Happy Hookers, Cherokee Book Club, and the KYN Ladies Railroad Group. Her family was the light of her life, particularly her 19 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Mildred was a member of the Catholic Daughters of America for nearly 50 years and was also a former Grand Regent.

She is survived by her husband; six sons, Jim Schmillen of Phoenix, Ariz., Dan Schmillen and his wife Linda of Littleton, Colo., Chuck Schmillen and his wife Diane and Jeff Schmillen, all of Marcus, Iowa, Doug Schmillen and his wife Deb of Colorado Springs, Colo., Chris Schmillen and his wife Mary of Security, Colo.; two daughters, Kathy Donaldson and her husband Bryan of West Des Moines, Iowa and Theresa Kohn and her husband Leo of Cherokee; a sister, Mary Sorgdrager of Le Mars, Iowa; 19 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Bob Schmillen on Nov. 9, 1982; six brothers, four sisters, and a grandson Michael Schmillen in 1995.