Rosaline Regina (Cook) Schmitz

Rosaline Regina Schmitz, of Pewamo, age 92, loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother, and loving person passed away on June 30, 2018.

She was born on May 22, 1926 in Pewamo, the daughter of Anthony H. and Anna E. (Esch) Cook. She graduated from Pewamo High School in 1945, was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Pewamo, was a member of the Altar Society and sang in the church choir for many years. She retired from Holly Carburetor after five years to marry and raise a family, she also catered part-time for 27 years for many of Lansing’s different catering companies.

Rosaline enjoyed hunting, fishing, gardening, playing bingo, canning and baking. She also enjoyed taking pictures, going on vacation with the her family in their house trailer to School Section Lake, playing cards,  playing Set-Back with the girls in the card group, and watching the Detroit Tigers. She loved spending time with her family and her cat, “Babie”. She was also very religious and had a strong faith in God and prayer.

In her last few years, she enjoyed staying at Walnut Grove AFC in Portland and also Heartland Health Care in Ionia. The family appreciates the care and kindness she received at both places.

She married Frederick A. Schmitz of Fowler on June 22, 1950 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Pewamo. They were married for over 58 years before he passed away on October 3, 2008.

She is also preceded in death by her parents; sisters, Jane A. Wirth of Westphalia and Gladys H. Refsnyder of Pendel, PA; brothers, Gerald L. Cook of Portland, Benedict V. Cook of TX and Joseph A. Cook of Ionia; and son-in-law, Robert Leo Fall of St. Johns. Surviving are one sister, Cecilia R. Smith of Hastings; eight children, Frederick R. (Gale) Schmitz of St. Johns, Daniel E. (Valerie) Schmitz of Ionia, Rosemary C. Schmitz of Blaine, WA, Robert G. (Patty) Schmitz of Pewamo, Luke A. (Lorraine) Schmitz of Pewamo, John J. (Tina) Schmitz of Pewamo, Thomas C. (Mary Kay) Schmitz of Portland, and Jacqueline J. Fall of St. Johns; also surviving are many, many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Rev. Darrel Kempf and Rev. Michael Steffes at 10:30 a.m., Friday, July 6, 2018 at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Pewamo. Rite of Committal will follow at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery. The family will receive friends 2-4 and 6-8 p.m., Thursday, July 5, 2018 at the St. Mary’s Funeral Chapel, 210 N. Westphalia St., Westphalia. The rosaries will be prayed at 1:30 and 5:30 p.m. Arrangements are entrusted to Lehman Funeral Homes. Online condolences may be made at www.lehmanfuneralhomes.com.

Safely Home

I am home in heaven, dear ones;

Oh so happy and so bright!

There is perfect joy and beauty

In this everlasting light.

All the pain and grief is over,

Every restless tossing passed;

I am now at peace forever,

Safely home in heaven at last.

Did you wonder how I so calmly

Trod the valley of the shade?

Oh, but Jesus' love illumined

Every dark and fearful glade.

And he came himself to meet me

In that way so hard to tread;

And with Jesus' arm to lean on,

Could I have one doubt or dread?

Then you must not grieve so sorely,

For I love you dearly still;

Try to look beyond earth's shadows,

Pray to trust our Father's will.

There is work still waiting for you,

So you must not idly stand;

Do it now, while life remains,

You shall rest in Jesus' land.

When that work is all completed,

He will gently call you home;

Oh, the rapture of that meeting,

Oh, the joy to see you come!

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