Mary Schmitz

Mary Ellen (Turbes) Schmitz, 81, of Springfield, Minnesota, went to her eternal reward on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, with the full consolations of the Catholic Church.

Visitation will be on Friday, October 25, 2024, at 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm and will continue on Saturday from 9:30 am to 10:30 am with a Rosary at 10:30 AM at the Sturm Funeral Home in Springfield, MN.  A private Latin Requiem High Mass will be held at Sturm Funeral Home in Springfield at 11:00 am on Saturday directly following the Rosary. Extended family and close friends are welcome. Interment following at St. Raphael’s Catholic Cemetery.  The clergy will be Father Carlos Borja.

Mary was born on July 10, 1943, to Edward and Emma (Seidl) Turbes on the family farm east of Wanda, Minnesota. She attended St. Mathias grade school in Wanda, later graduating from Sanborn High School in 1961 as valedictorian. After graduation she moved with her parents from the farm in Wanda to Springfield, where she worked as a teller at the Farmers and Merchants State Bank. In 1965 she won the title of Miss Springfield.

On September 10, 1966, she was united in marriage to Leo Schmitz at St. Raphael's Catholic Church in Springfield. They were blessed with 58 years of marriage and four children; Anthony, Daniel, Peter, and Martha. Mary helped on the dairy farm alongside raising their four children, and later went on to work at Sterling Travel. She eventually bought the business and co-owned the travel agency for many years. Owing to her job as a travel agent, she traveled extensively, visiting, amongst other places, Asia, Australia, South and Central America, and Europe. When she retired from that, she became the manager of the Springfield Community Center where she worked until her retirement in 2014. During that time, she and her sister Gloria Platz also ran GloMar Tours, taking many a bus to destinations such as Branson and Door County. She also recently worked part time at Springfield Floral, which tended well to her love of flowers.

Mary was a very industrious, conscientious, and charitable person, who was very active in Church and community. She was a decades-long member of the choir at St. Raphael's, and sang for hundreds of weddings and funerals. She belonged to the CCW and was a part of several Church and Diocesan committees. She also was a member of the Mrs. Jaycees in her young married life and delivered Meals on Wheels for many years.

Mary enjoyed her grandchildren, traveling, making beautiful stained glass works of art, crocheting, gardening, and generally being hard-working and helpful. She was a wonderful mother and nana and her gracious presence, sense of humor, and thoughtful selflessness will be terribly missed.

She is survived by her husband, Leo; sisters Elaine Polzin and Janet (Fred) Lenz; children Anthony (Lisa) Schmitz of Colorado Springs, CO; Daniel (Lena) Schmitz of Roberts, WI; Peter (Lauren) Schmitz of Mayer, MN;  and Martha (Daniel) Renner of Springfield, MN; and 19 grandchildren: Amanda Schmitz; Noah, Alexa, and Brianna Schmitz; Jude, Julia, Jacob, Ava, Anna, and Nicholas Schmitz; Tori, Lex, Katherine, Max, William, Madonna, Regina, Xavier, and Karl Renner.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Edward and Emma Turbes, brothers Willie and Gene Turbes, sister Gloria Platz, nieces Monica Platz and Kim Polzin, and many brothers and sisters-in-law.

Eternal Rest grant unto her, O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon her. May she rest in peace.