Schmitz, Sharon (Mrs. John) - 1946-2007

SCHMITZ, WEBERT, ZIMMERMAN

Posted By: Linda Vander Linden - Volunteer (email)
Date: 1/17/2015 at 13:17:24

Obituary from Porter Funeral Home, Died July 6, 2007

Arlington, South Dakota - Sharon Ray Schmitz, age 60, or Arlington, South Dakota died Friday, July 6, 2007, at her home near Lake Poinsett. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m., Tuesday at St. Mary Catholic Church in Hawarden, Iowa with Father Cathal Gallagher, Father Leroy Seuntjens and Father Callahan concelebrating. Burial will follow in the Grace Hill Cemetery. Visitation will be noon to 4 p.m., Monday at Porter Funeral Home in Hawarden with a Vigil Service at 7 p.m., Monday at the church.

Sharon was born on July 9, 1946 in Hawarden, Iowa to parents William & Arlene (Webert) Zimmerman. She attended and graduated from West Sioux Community School, Hawarden in 1964. She attended Nettleton College in Sioux Falls, SD and spent one year working for the FBI in Washington, D.C. She moved back to Hawarden and worked at Otis/Coilcraft. She married John Phillip Schmitz of Sioux City, IA on June 12, 1971. She lived in Hawarden for 32 years helping John operate Schmitz Salvage. Sharon also worked for the Hawarden Hospital as a medical secretary for a brief time. Her main career was homemaker, wife and mother. In 2003, Sharon and John moved to Lake Poinsett, SD. Sharon was a current member of St. John's Catholic Church in Arlington and a longtime active member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Hawarden, IA, where she taught Catechism for several years. Her greatest passion in life was her family. She used and sacrificed her many gifts and talents to selflessly serve her family, friends and community in many ways. She loved sharing conversation with just about anyone, anywhere. She was a great listener and could make anyone feel special. She knew her children better than they knew themselves. She loved music, drawing, dancing (in the kitchen to country music), birds, flowers, warm scented candles, Autumn, Christmas time, Christmas lights, shopping for and playing with games, toys and dolls. She loved baking, fishing with John, and especially enjoyed time with her eight grandchildren. She was patient, wise, caring, understanding and a "soft place to land". She was Love.

Survivors include her husband, John of Arlington; three daughters, Amy (Tom) Block of Panora, IA; Angela (Joshua) Bieber of Bowdle, SD; Susan (Jason) Kohnen of Denver, IA; one son, John William Schmitz of Westwood, Kansas; eight grandchildren: Emily, Nathan, Erica and Austin Block; Madison & Jacob Bieber; Kerrigan & Alexander Kohnen; one brother, Billy Zimmerman of Detroit Lakes, MN; four sisters, Janice Hamilton of Hudson, SD; Marilyn Zimmerman of Sioux Falls, SD, Pat De Sutter of Hawarden, IA and twin sister, Karon Tiltrum of Aurora, SD.

Sharon was preceded in death by her parents, Mr. & Mrs. Bill & Arlene Zimmerman, and a niece, Kimberly Hamilton.