Donald Schmitz

A Memorial Christian Mass will be held Saturday, February 16, 2008 at 11:00 AM at the Ave Maria Catholic Church in Wheaton for Donald Schmitz. Military Rites will follow. Donald E. Schmitz, age 84, of Wheaton, MN, passed away on February 9, 2008 at the Traverse Care Center. Donald had been a resident of the Traverse Care Center since December 2000 after suffering a massive stroke. His wish was to live to be 100 years old, as his father had done, however his wish did not come true. Donald E. Schmitz was born on April 7, 1923 on the family farm outside of Dumont, MN and was a life long resident of the Wheaton area. Don spent time serving our country as a Marine during World War II. Years later he worked in the Lake Park, MN area and that is where he met his wife Elvira. Donald E. Schmitz was known by many as Buck and The Man Who Could Fix Anything. Don worked as a gas transport driver, auto mechanic, farm implement mechanic and farm laborer. He enjoyed the great outdoors and loved making service calls. He had a natural talent for fixing things and would many times "make" the needed part to repair what he was working on when it wasn't available anywhere else. Don had a huge back yard and country gardens every year that produced more vegetables than one family could ever consume. He enjoyed sharing his produce and would often drop items off on door steps. Don chose to live a "simple life" and lived it with integrity and took great pride in being an honorable man. He will be missed by many and those of us in his life who truly loved him will cherish his memory always. Donald E. Schmitz is preceded in death by his wife Elvira on October 13, 2006; parents Jacob & Veronica Schmitz, step mother Elizabeth Schmitz; brothers Victor, Eugene, Vernon and Jacob Schmitz; sisters Valeria Ekness and Louise Schmitz. Don is survived by his daughter, LuLetta Schmitz of Maplewood, MN; brothers Reinhard (Gloria), James (Valeria) and David (Carol) all of Wheaton, MN; sisters Vivian Staupe of Lakeville, MN; Laura Mallory of Farmington, MN; Catherine (Warren) Walter of Murietta, CA; Elizabeth (Dean) Charlton of Dike, LA and Veronica (Earl) Triplett of Danube, MN; many nieces and nephews. In closing, the family would like to thank the staff at the Traverse Care Center, Lakeland Hospice and all of Don's friends. Thank you all for sharing in this memorial for Donald E. Schmitz. Long live the memories!