Donna Mae Schmidt

Donna Schmidt, age 90 of St. James died Sunday, November 17, 2019 at Pleasant View Good Samaritan Society in St. James. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 am Friday, November 22, 2019 at St. James Catholic Church in St. James with Father Timothy Hall officiating. Visitation will be Thursday ay Marian Hall from 4:30 pm to 8pm. A rosary will be recited at 4pm. Visitation will continue at the church one hour before services on Friday. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery in St. James. Memorials preferred to the St. James Catholic Church Restoration Fund, Pleasant View or St. Marys Catholic School in Madelia. Donna Schmidt died Sunday, Nov. 17, 2019 at Pleasant View in St. James following several weeks of hospice care due to complexities of aging. She was 90. Donna Mae was born Aug. 11, 1929 to Thomas and Hilma (Strom) Hudson at St. James Hospital. She was the fourth of their five children. She was very young when her father died as the result of a hunting accident. Hilma then raised her family alone on their farm near Godahl. There were hard times but all Hilmas children went on to successful lives. Donna attended rural school in Dist. 47 and graduated St. James High School in 1947. For the next three years Donna worked at Ulebergs Department Store in St. James and talked often of what she learned serving customers there. During those years she was Winter Carnival Queen in St. James. Highlights included an appearance representing the city at St. Pauls famous Winter Carnival. She played baritone in the high school and 4H bands and thats how she met Paul L. Schmidt, the sousaphone player. They married May 15, 1950 at St. James Catholic Church. During the Korean Conflict, Paul was stationed as a cook for the National Guard in Alabama. The couple moved there, taking one infant son. The duty lasted three years, over which another son was born. Upon their return to St. James, Paul joined the family bakery where he would become co-owner with his brother Brad. Donna settled in and continued to raise her children – there would be 15. Donna was a faithful person her whole life and passed that to her family. Sundays would find them in the front rows of the Catholic Church so that the kids could see what was happening and usually behaved better. She was involved in the music of the church, serving many years in the choir and was a regular soloist for funerals and weddings. She was a 60 - year member of Catholic Daughters and member of Christian Mothers. This family would be one of the hallmarks of Donnas life right to the end. She caught some rare barbs from others who wondered about all those kids. But no one who looked closer could miss that all were organized, fed, clothed and were loving with each other as well as friends and family. Each of her children felt her individual love and devotion and this Donna effect spread out from the walls of their home to many others. Many of the Schmidt kids had friends who found a refuge at Donnas house. Donna was known all over St. James for her generosity, whether it was a small gift from the bakery, a listening ear or an invitation for a meal. Donna was constantly reaching out to neighbors, friends or someone she knew who needed a little boost during a hard time. This included a family who found themselves in St. James after escaping Viet Nam in a boat. Donna saw a need and did her best to make them feel welcomed. For years they became fixtures at family events and the friendship remains today even from half way across the country. The towns Hispanic families also got attention from Donna and many continued to visit her right up to her final days. Her energy seemed boundless represented by her direction of intimate dinner for about 65 every Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving. Donna was preceded in death by her husband Paul, sisters Lee and Betty and brother Dick. Also, her children Charles (in infancy), David, Mike and Katherine and son-in-law Dale Zumwalt. Surviving are her children: Tom (Becky) Schmidt, Beth (Bradley) Stradtman, Kathleen (Rick) Hanson, Laura (Bill) Coleman, Lisa (Mark) Collier, John (Cali) Schmidt, Paul (Liz) Schmidt and son-in-law Joe Frisch, all of St. James, Patty (Steve) Jessop and Anna Marie (Tom) Brick of Owatonna and Mary (Steve) Wright of Avon, Teresa (Blaine) Kolstad of Mankato and daughter-in-law Deb (Paul) Tews of Springfield. Also 41 grandchildren and 57 great grandchildren, many of whom Donna named Poopsie. Also, her sister Arlene Hagen and in-laws Brad and Cleo Schmidt of St. James and Marilyn Hudson of New Ulm plus many nieces and nephews. Visitation 1 4:30 pm - 8:00 pm Thursday, November 21, 2019 Marian Hall 623 4th Street S. Saint James, Minnesota, United States 56081 4pm Rosary scheduled. Visitation 2 9:30 am - 10:30 am Friday, November 22, 2019 St. James Catholic Church, St. James 623 4th Street S. Saint James, Minnesota, United States 56081 Service Information 10:30 am Friday, November 22, 2019 St. James Catholic Church, St. James 623 4th Street S. Saint James, Minnesota, United States 56081 Interment Information Calvary Cemetery- St. James East of town on CR 27 Saint James, Minnesota, United States 56081 Fellowship Lunch will be served at Marian Hall following burial.