SMITH, Irene Marie (Schmidt) 1896-1990

SMITH, SCHMIDT, SEVERSON, THOMPSON, LEWIS, FELDT

Posted By: Karen L. Robertson (email)
Date: 4/15/2012 at 19:47:38

Irene Marie Smith, 94, retired Des Moines school teacher, died at the Stacyville Nursing Home Thursday, December 20, 1990. A memorial service will be held at First Lutheran Church in St. Ansgar at a later date.

She was born July 17, 1896 to Wilhelm and Ida Schmidt near Mitchell. She was baptized September 6, 1896 at St. John's Lutheran Church, rural Grafton and confirmed April 5, 1914 at the Lutheran Church in Mitchell.

In 1914, she graduated from Mitchell High School, attended school in Osage and began teaching in rural Mitchell County in 1916. She graduated from Iowa State Teachers College in 1919 and 1929, and received her Bachelor of Science degree from Drake University in 1942, and completed the course work for her Master of Science degree in 1952.

She taught at Iowa Falls and Rochester, Minnesota before coming to Des Moines where she taught at Elmwood, Hubbell and Monroe schools for a total of 41 years in Des Moines and 46 years in all, retiring in 1963.

She was an avid bird watcher and nature lover, a member of Des Moines Audubon Society, Des Moines Mineral Society, two Des Moines Garden Clubs, Des Moines Philatelist Club, DMRTA, First Christian Church of Des Moines and First Luthern Church, St. Ansgar.

Irene moved to Worth Living Center, St. Ansgar, in April, 1987, and to Stacyville Community Nursing Home in March, 1988 after contacting pneumonia.

She is survived by three nieces, Agnes Severson of Carpenter, Irene Thompson of Austin, Minnesota and Avis Lewis of Murdock, Minnesota; three nephews Herbert Feldt of Carpenter, Wilmer and Arnold Feldt of St. Ansgar; 21 grand nieces and nephews; 28 great grand nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers, two sisters and one niece, Helen Peterson.

Burial will be in the Mitchell cemetery.

St. Ansgar Enterprise