Mass of Christian Burial for 89-year-old Loretta Schmitz of St. James, Minnesota, will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday morning, December 7, 2016, at St. James Catholic Church in St. James with Father Timothy Hall as celebrant. The church is located at 623 4th Street South.
Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery, located on the east side of St. James on Watonwan County Road #27.
Visitation will be at Sturm Funeral Home-St. James Chapel, on Tuesday, December 6, 2016, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. A Christian Mothers rosary will be recited at 4:30 p.m., with a prayer service at 7 p.m. The funeral home is at 906 10th Street South. A second visitation will be held at the church the day of the services from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Loretta Schmitz passed away on Saturday, December 3, 2016 at Pleasant View Good Samaritan Society in St. James.
Loretta Marie Pelzel was born on September 12, 1927, in Heron Lake, Minnesota to parents Joseph and Stephana (Fried) Pelzel. She was the youngest of 11 children. She attended school in Heron Lake. graduating in 1945. Loretta was offered a chance for a secretarial internship at the Pentagon following her senior year, but had to decline for various reasons.
She met the love of her life, Marvin Schmitz, at a roller skating rink in Dundee, Minnesota. The couple was married on November 30, 1946. in Heron Lake. The couple had six children. Loretta often talked of her many jobs to support her family. They made their home in Butterfield, Minnesota, St. James and Mankato, Minnesota, before settling down in St. James.
Loretta loved to tend her large garden, enjoyed sewing clothes for her family and hosted many home parties for various products she would sell. After her family was raised, she enjoyed traveling, spending time playing cards, volunteering, embroidering dish towels, fixing puzzles and other activities to stay busy. She loved people and always had a smile and a “Good Morning” for everyone. In 2008, she wrote a book about her life “so we will never forget,” She loved her home and decorated it beautifully and was always a fashion statement. She will be missed by many family and friends.
She is survived by her children, Roger (Kira) Schmitz of Zimmerman, Minnesota, Dennis (Sue) Schmitz of Mankato, Mark (Gail) Schmitz of Washington, D.C., Jeff (Kris) Schmitz of Owatonna, Minnesota, Troy (Bonnie) Schmitz of Elk River, Minnesota and Nancy (Kim) Olson of Butterfield; 12 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; sister-in-law Vernice Pelzel of Duluth, Minnesota and a brother-in-law, Otto Just of Windom. Minnesota.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Marvin,in 2003.
