Marjorie Helen Schmitt

[gn_spacer size=”20″] [gn_heading style=”1″]Marjorie Helen Schmitt[/gn_heading] [frame src=”IMAGE_SRC” width=”” height=”” lightbox=”on” title=”Marjorie Helen Schmitt” align=”left” ]

Marjorie Helen Schmitt died August 15, 2011, in Billings, Montana due to pancreatic cancer with both of her daughters by her side. She was born October 16, 1923, in Jennings, Kansas to George and Philomena (Minnie Stegner) Petrasek and grew up on the family farm. She graduated from Jennings High School in 1940 and attended Kansas State College in Fort Hayes, KS. After which, she taught school at the Rock Island Country School in Jennings.

After attending radio communications schools in Omaha, NB and San Francisco, CA, she moved to Denver, CO and worked for United Airlines as a radio operator during World War II. There she met her husband, Raymond John Schmitt, was married on November 23, 1946 and together they raised six children. They were married for 38 years until Ray passed away on Christmas day, 1989. They lived near the beach in North Hampton, NH, as well as in Yardley, PA, and retired in Naples, FL. In 2005, Marjorie moved to Billings, MT to live with her daughter and son-in-law. Despite her blindness from glaucoma in 1995, she was fearlessly independent and lived on her own for her final six years at Aspen View Retirement Center in Billings, where she formed close friendships with so many.

While working for United Airlines, Marjorie and Ray were world travelers, visiting every US state and making numerous trips to Europe and Australia. They both were very patriotic and active members of the local Yardley VFW. Marjorie loved her home, garden and flowers. As a member of the Martha Washington Garden Club in Yardley, PA, she won many awards for her artistic flower arrangements. She was a gourmet cook, an accomplished artist, politically active and enjoyed fundraising for her Catholic church. Above all, her family was the most important. She will be greatly missed by her children and grandchildren who were a wonderful part of her life.

Marjorie was predeceased by her father, October 15, 1949, mother, December 11, 1952; bother, George Albert Petrasek, March 6, 1977; husband, December 25, 1989, son Steven Ray Schmitt, May 28, 1997 and her favorite son-in-law, Hilliard W. McDonald, February 5, 2009.

Marjorie is survived by five children: two daughters, Lynnette McDonald of Billings, MT and Cynthia Teaff of Yardley, PA; and three sons, Tommy (Petra) Schmitt of Mystic, CT; Michael (Cathy) Schmitt of Pittsburg, PA; and Robert (Nancy) Schmitt of Grass Valley, CA; sister Evelyn Studebaker of Van Nuys, CA; nine grandchildren, five great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

Services will take place at Fitzgerald-Sommers Funeral Home, 17 South Delaware Avenue, Yardley, PA on August 27, 2011, 2-4pm.

Marjorie Helen Schmitt will be laid to rest beside her husband and son at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, Anneville, PA (section 12-D site 627).

In lieu of flowers, friends are asked to make memorials to Bucks County Association for the Blind, 400 Freedom Drive, Newtown, PA 18940 or to an organization of their choice.