Viola Schmidt

Hastings resident, Viola Mae Schmidt, 95, died Sunday, June 22, 2008 at Perkins Pavilion.

Services will be Wednesday, June 25, 2008; 11:00 A.M. at Butler-Volland Chapel with Rev. Alan Davis officiating. Burial will be at 1:30 P.M. in Minden Cemetery, Minden, Nebraska. Visitation will be Tuesday, June 24, 2008; 5:00 P.M.-9:00 P.M. with family present from 6:00 P.M.-8:00 P.M. at the funeral home. Memorials may be given to the family.

Viola Mae (Christensen) Schmidt was born March 21, 1913 in Minden, Nebraska, the eldest daughter of Chris Nels Christensen and Ruby Josephine (Taylor) Christensen. She grew up in the Minden area, graduating from Minden High School in 1931. After graduation, Viola moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, where she was employed at the Russell Stover Candy Company for about a year. When her father became ill, she moved to Hastings to assist him in managing The Little Chef Café, and it was there that Viola met Harry Schmidt, who was to become her life-long devoted and tender soul mate. A lifelong member of the United Methodist Church, Viola and Harry were married on July 29, 1944, in Lincoln, Nebraska by the Bishop of the United Methodist Church, and to this union were born two children, Rosalyn Mae on May 3, 1945 and Larry on January 7, 1947. Viola devoted most of her life to the service of others. She assisted her husband who owned and operated several service stations in Hastings and Minden area. In Minden, she managed and was cook at a café that was attached to her husband's service station. For much of their life together, Viola and Harry visited the sick, the lonely and the infirmed, bringing not only comfort and joy, but also a healthy supply of Viola's delicious homemade cookies or breads. However, the consuming passions throughout her life included baking, quilting, embroidery, gardening and of course, visiting with her family and friends, many of whom have preceded her in death. Those who remain will always love her and forever miss her sweet and gentle spirit and her kind, forgiving heart. With sorrow and joy she will be remembered, cherished and loved; but, even more, those who knew her most deeply felt the kindness and honesty that lay within her humility, a spirit driven by a desire to make her special part of the world a better place for those with whom she touched. With love from her children, grandchildren and from her friends-as bands of angels take thee to thy rest.

Viola was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Harry, her parents, her baby brother Willis, her sister Geraldine Landin and her husband Wayne, her brother Virgil and his wife Jane and a baby grandson, Douglas.

Those left to lovingly mourn her passing include her daughter Rosalyn Mae (Schmidt) Fox of Hastings, a son, Larry Schmidt of Juniata, four grandchildren, Christi Gilbert, Joy Shipman, and Greg Schmidt of Hastings and Gary Gilbert of Boston, Massachusetts, along with three great grandchildren, Wesley and Matthew Shipman and Steven Bonham. Viola was also survived by many nephews, nieces and loving friends.