Dorothy "Dot" Schmid

Dot was a devoted wife, mother, and grandma who found her greatest joys in the company of her beloved family. She knew that her life was filled with blessings, and each day she tried to share her happiness with the many people she loved. She was also a devoted member of her church, Our Lady of Grace and spent much of her time organizing events there. The 1920s emerged as a decade of prosperity. With the end of the First World War, thousands of young soldiers returned to their civilian lives back home. The economy flourished and national industry boomed. Amid this climate of good fortune, Max McCormick and his wife Amelia Statler discovered a more important reason to celebrate. They were expecting a child, and on September 5, 1920 they were blessed with the healthy birth of their daughter Dorothy Marie. Dot was born in Heywood, Manitoba, the second youngest of eight children. Shortly after her birth Max abandoned the family and her mother and children relocated to Minnesota. At the age of twelve Dot moved to Fremont, Michigan to live with her sister Billie. Billie was twelve years her senior and took over the parenting role for her younger sister. Dot was also always busy helping with the raising of Billies growing family. To see her mother she would have to take the train back to Minnesota. She occasionally traveled between Muskegon and St. Paul, and she soon learned the best way to sleep on the train by laying on the floor underneath a bench. After completing the eighth grade, Dot left school to find a full-time job. She began working as a waitress in Muskegon. By the time the Second World War broke out, Dot was working at MESC. One of her coworkers introduced her to a handsome young man named Fredrick J. Schmid, Jr. For Dot and Fredrick, this introduction proved to be love at first sight. Fredrick would paddle his canoe across Muskegon Lake to pick Dot up to go out on dates. Fredrick was drafted into the Army Air Corps and stationed in Santa Ana, California. Dot followed him to the west coast, and they were married shortly after she arrived, on October 24, 1942. Following their marriage, Fredrick was sent to Fort Sumner, New Mexico. While living in their home outside of the city, they were blessed with their first child Linda. After Linda was born, Fredrick was reassigned to New Guinea and the Philippines where he helped to construct airstrips for the Air Force. Dorothy returned to St. Paul for a short visit and stayed with her mother. She a also went to Muskegon to visit her in-laws and stayed with her sister. She then received word that Fred was being deployed overseas and she took a troop train to Las Vegas to say goodbye. Dorothy returned to North Muskegon and moved into an apartment close to Freds parents and her sister Billie. Nine months later Karen was born. Throughout her life, Dot enjoyed a variety of hobbies. She loved crocheting, gardening, and was forced into an appreciation of sailingalthough she didnt know how to swim and every moment on the water was an exercise in controlling her fears. Music was her passion, and she played the piano and organ energetically even though she couldnt read a single note of music. She played by ear and feel, and her renditions of classic honky-tonk songs were always enjoyed by family and friends. She also loved to dance, especially to big band music like Benny Goodman and Glenn Miller. She even knew how to do the Irish Jig! Dot devoted her life to family and church and the service of others. She was the proud mother of two sons, Edward and Michael, and four daughters, Linda, Karen, Rita, and Barbara. Dot always regarded her children as her greatest achievement. In her later years she was thrilled to see her family grow with the blessing of twenty-seven grandkids, sixteen great-grandkids, and three great-great grandchildren. Among the many people who loved Dot, she will be greatly missed and frequently remembered. Dot passed peacefully away on September 12, 2007. She is survived by her sons: Edward (Marina) Schmid Portland, OR; Michael (Scott Simmons) Schmid Ft. Wayne, IN; son-in law Dan Gunderson - Norton Shores, Michigan; Daughters: Linda Ford Garden Grove, CA; Karen (Ted) Szpeinski - Roosevelt Park, Michigan; Rita (Glenn) Mendendorp- Grant, Michigan; Brother: Donald (Dorothy) McCormick St. Paul, MN; 27 grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren and 3 great-great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by mother Ameila; daughter Barbara Gunderson; siblings Charles, Edward, and Lawrence Smith, Joe McCormick, Katherine McCormick, and two others who died in the flu epidemic of 1907. The funeral for Dot will be held on Monday, September 17, 2007 at 2:00 p.m. at Our Lady of Grace Church, Muskegon MI. Visitation: Sunday, September 16, 2007 Clock Life Story Funeral Home Muskegon 2-4 and 7-9 pm and 1 hour prior to service at the church on Monday. Memorials contributions may be made to Camp Watcha-Wanna-Do (a cancer camp for children) and American Lung Cancer Assoc. Please visit Dots personal memory page at www.lifestorynet.com, where you may sign the guestbook or share a thought or memory.