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Emily Schmidt
EMILY SCHMIDT
Whispering Pines, N.C.
Emily C. Schmidt passed away peacefully on Nov. 11, 2016.
Emily was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to Gertrude Caroline (Mott) Phillips and Harold Thomas Phillips on June 22, 1929. In her early years, the family moved to Baxter, Iowa, where Harold was a pharmacist, and then to Davenport, when Harold took jobs as a pharmacist with Walgreens and Rexall Drugs. Some of Emily's longest, strongest and dearest friendships were formed from her years growing up in Davenport.
Emily graduated from Davenport Central High School and attended the University of Iowa, where she was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority and met many friends. While at Iowa, she met the love of her life, Don, and followed him to his agrarian roots near Elkader, where they spent nearly 30 years raising and milking dairy cattle. (Emily learned that young calves were firmly imprinted on a bright red rubberized coat that she nearly always wore to the barn feeding them in their last 15 years on the farm. That parent/child calf imprint lasted well into the cows' later years, where they would often follow her red coat around the barns and fields, making it easy for her to bring the cows in to milk.)
Emily knew many hardships in her life, including the death of her oldest son, Don Phillip, in a farm accident, as well as the deaths of her youngest baby son, Christian Joseph, and baby daughter, Mary Caroline, the latter two due to Rh blood issues.
Emily also knew many joys in her life, including the births of her three grandsons, Matthew, Benjamin and Mark; and the joining of her sweet stepgranddaughter, Dayna, and stepgrandson, Timothy, to her son's family. Emily was especially proud of the accomplishments of her grandchildren and always was looking forward to hearing more.
Emily is survived by her lifelong husband of over 67 years, Don Raymond Schmidt of Whispering Pines; and her son, John Thomas and his wife, Becky Lynn, of Verona, Wis. Emily also is survived by her grandchildren, Matthew (KariAnn Stevens) Schmidt, Benjamin (Katie Hartmann) Schmidt and Mark (Melissa Stone) Schmidt, all of Portland, Ore. Emily is further survived by her grandchildren-by-marriage, Dayna (Kyle) McManners of Verona, Wis., and Timothy (AnnMarie) McEnroe of Phillipsburg, N.J.; her siblings, Thomas A. (Miriam) Phillips of Virginia and Mary Ann (Keith) Beardsley of Southern Pines, N.C.; and many nephews and nieces and their families.
Emily's final joy was to learn the presidential election results. Her final words after opening her eyes and smiling broadly were, "Really? That's wonderful!"
Online condolences may be made at www.BolesFuneralHome.com.
Boles Funeral of Southern Pines is assisting the family.
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