My Mother’s Obituary
After my mother’s death on May 22, 2023, I was asked to write her obituary. A cathartic yet difficult task, I got to spend hours with my mom, talking about her life, her family, and the amazing things that made her, her. Here is the obituary:
Charlotte Adele Schwab Schmidt
September 6, 1929 - May 22, 2023
Charlotte Adele Schwab Schmidt, 93, of Portland, OR, and Palm Desert, CA, peacefully passed away on May 22, 2023.
Charlotte’s life celebration will be held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 575 E College Street, Mt Angel, Oregon 97362, Wednesday, September 13, 2023. The Rosary will be at 10:30 a.m., with a funeral mass at 11:00 a.m. officiated by Father Ralph Recker OSB. An event not to be missed will follow in St. Mary’s Hall and around Mt. Angel. For those in the area, we will also meet the next day at the Weingarten for a memorable first day of Oktoberfest get-together.
Charlotte has given her time, love, and tenderness to many things over her life, and in death, it’s no different. She has donated her remains and will be helping medical students learn through hands-on experience in the classrooms of Loma Linda University (www.medicine.llu.edu). As Charlotte’s earthly body continues to help the next generation of medical students, her soul finds rest within the loving arms of her husband, Norm, and with the family members who have gone before her. Her parents: Paul Schwab and Eleanor Fischer Schwab; her siblings: Marlene Irma Schwab Hoy and Lois Eleanor Schwab Tracy; and many Schwab and Schmidt relatives and dear friends.
Charlotte was born on Friday, September 6, 1929, in the Silverton, Oregon, hospital a few miles from her home in Mt. Angel, Oregon. Her childhood residence was four blocks from St. Mary’s Catholic Church, and she lived close to many Schwab family members. Her grandfather, Fred Schwab, was the first mayor of Mt. Angel. Her father, Paul, worked at his father’s business, The Fred Schwab Commission Company, a grain and hops wholesaler. Her mother, Eleanor Fisher Schwab, was a bright candle who befriended everyone.
Charlotte lost her father when she was twelve years old. Being the oldest of the siblings, it fell to her to help with the other children. Once they moved to Salem, she was: student, babysitter, laundry/dry cleaner worker, strawberry picker (for one day), teenager, errand runner, soda fountain worker, prom organizer volunteer, classmate, cousin, friend, sister, and daughter. In 1947, she graduated with her high school diploma from Sacred Heart Academy in Salem, Oregon.
Education has always been an essential part of Charlotte’s life. Her family and the Catholic community of her childhood helped her focus her goals toward nursing. In 1947 she started the nurse’s training program at Providence Hospital in Portland, Oregon. She entered the three-year program to become a registered nurse. Throughout her training, she did several rotations in Oregon hospitals: OB/GYN, Pediatrics and Well Baby Care, and Psychiatry. And as we all know, her favorite part was the babies. She graduated with her registered nurse’s pin, cap, and cape in August 1950 and got a job at Salem General Hospital.
Charlotte met Norman Albert Schmidt through mutual friends, and Norm immediately knew they would marry. The day they met, he dropped Charlotte off on her residence floor at Providence Hospital and asked what her last name was. She told him, and he laughed. “What a name, Charlotte Schwab,” he said. “Well, your name isn’t any better,” she told him. Then as he held the elevator door open, he looked at her and said, “I’m going to marry you.” Charlotte retorted with, “You’re crazy; I am not getting married to anyone.” And he smiled at her as the doors closed.
Charlotte and Norm were married in Salem, Oregon, on July 14, 1951. After 64 loving years as husband and wife, Charlotte’s soulmate died in 2015. Their legacy of faith, family, and deep love for each other continues in their ten children, 26 grandchildren, and 16 great-grandchildren. Charlotte is survived by her brother Ronald Edward Schwab (Myrna), multiple cousins, and her children: Ric (Lynette), LuAnn, Frank (Tina), Jacob, Ellen (Fred), Carolyn (Brian), Donna (Jeff), Amy (Mark), Sarah (Noel), and Martha (Matt). Grandchildren: Nicholas (Kate), Jenna, Tara (Fred), Sam (Isabel), Tim, Rosa (TJ), Mary (Daniel), Erin (Jonathan), Kaitlyn (Nick), Sean, Joshua (Virginia), Chris, Rachael (Adam), Jeremiah (Heather), Elizabeth, Kathryn, Amanda (Evan), Joel (Shauna), Hannah, Adam (Sarah), Adele (Josh), Nathan (Shelley), Angelina, Gabe, Paul (Hailey), and Danica. Great-grandchildren: Ada, Julian, Molly, Mateo, Clara, Abigail, Evelyn, Eliana, Aurora, Charlotte, Gwenova, Coralee, Aniya, Ivy, Mayla, and Henry. And, since Charlotte touched so many souls with her kindness and love, all readers of this article are one of her children. She embodied tenderness and compassion, and everything she did brought love to everyone around her. She would make each person feel like they are a part of the family.
In 2018, Charlotte Schwab Schmidt wrote and published her memoir: Love is a Family: Memoir of a Lifetime. It is a compilation of inspirational stories that begins with her parents’ background, their marriage, and Charlotte’s birth. She tells of her life from childhood through adulthood, with the birth of her ten children and the many adventures the family engaged in. Towards the end, she reflects on her time with her loving husband and says, “We are best friends. We deeply love each other. We share a common religion and viewpoint of life. We agree with how we should live and how to enjoy life. We didn’t try to influence or control each other. We respected each other’s individual freedoms, viewpoints, and feelings. And we were eager to share life’s experiences with one another” (page 283). Their 64-year marriage gave them multiple experiences to share, and this final adventure brings them together forever.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (www.jdrf.org). Charlotte’s loving family wishes to thank you for your contributions. Charlotte and her family’s legacy lives on in educators, nurses, doctors, and more. Her smile will live on for generations to come.
