Virginia Schmitt (1927-2021)

SCHMITT, HIRSCH, WALLING

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 3/9/2021 at 20:52:54

Virginia “Jean” Schmitt, 93, of Dubuque, died Monday, March 8, 2021, at the Unity Point Health-Finley Hospital in Dubuque.

The Mass of Christian Burial for Jean will be 1:30 pm Thursday, March 11, 2021, at Holy Spirit Parish – Holy Ghost Catholic Church with Msgr. Lyle Wilgenbusch as the Celebrant. Masks are required, and we ask that you please respect our current social distancing requirements. Entombment will be in Mount Olivet Cemetery in Key West. The mass will be live streamed on Hoffmann Schneider & Kitchen Funeral Home’s Facebook page and will also be available to view later at www.hskfhcares.com. A celebration of Jean’s life will be held at a later date.

Virginia A. “Jean” (Hirsch) Schmitt was born the only child of Leo and Lucille (Walling) Hirsch on July 24, 1927. Virginia “Jean” was the apple of their eye and admittedly a princess (or spoiled) child. Mom grew up during the Great Depression and by her own account was so lucky to be the granddaughter and niece of farmers.

Jean worked for Roehl-Phillips Furniture as a bookkeeper after graduation from St. Joseph’s Academy. In 1947, she married Alfred “Al” Schmitt and happily raised their six children.

She loved to take family vacations all over the western United States with her husband, her mother and father and children. Later in life she and Al enjoyed time wintering in Corpus Christi, taking trips to the Michigan peninsula, and Canada. Together they enjoyed going to auctions and church festivals. Jean also loved playing bingo.

She was preceded in death by her husband of nearly 72 years on September 3, 2019.

Those left to cherish her memory are her children, Janet (Patrick) Melloy, Tom Schmitt, Susan (Mike Gruber) Lang, all of Dubuque, Christine (Richard) Schneider of Lancaster, WI and Amy (Mark) Hemmer of Maquoketa, IA; grandchildren Ryan (Irene) Melloy, Erin (Jeremiah) DeHeck, Karin Betsinger, Kevin (Sophia) Schmitt, Meggan Gaines, Jessica, Melissa and Justen Lang, Jared and Amanda Hemmer and Morgan Schneider; step grandchildren Holly Schneider and Megan Almberg; 11 great-grandchildren; sister-in-law May Lou Kennedy; and brother-in-law Carl (Kathleen) Schmitt of Texas.

In addition to her husband, Jean was preceded in death by her parents, and her daughter Georgia (Robert) Betsinger.

A special thank you to her nurses Diane and Gloria as well as the entire ICU nursing staff who took such wonderful care of mom during her COVID illness.

Hoffmann Schneider & Kitchen Funeral Home and Cremation Service is in care of the arrangements.

A photo tribute can be viewed and condolences sent to the family by visiting Jean’s obituary at www.hskfhcares.com.