Patricia Ann Schmidt

Patricia Ann (Darby) Schmidt, 89, enjoyed her most precious gifts of family and friends until the last moments of her life Oct. 18, 2011. Pat was lovingly cared for by her family, her caregiver Baby Zolina and the assistance and support of Heartland Hospice Services. Pat was born Aug. 21, 1922, in Omaha, Neb. As a young girl, Patsy lived in Dixon before moving to Rockford, where she attended St. Peter Catholic School, Muldoon High School and St. Anthony School of Nursing, where she graduated as an RN in 1944. Pat proudly served as a Navy Nurse in World War II at the Great Lakes Naval Station, after which she was often heard to say, I joined the Navy to see the world and ended up fighting the war from the Great Lakes. Pat married William Bill Schmidt in May 1947, enjoying 44 years of marriage until he passed away in October 1991. Pat worked as a nurse at OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center and Rockford Memorial Hospital. She retired from Sears by turning her favorite hobbies of shopping and talking on the phone into her final career. She is survived by her six children and five loving soninlaws, Marianne (Maury) Johnson of Munising, Mich., Peg (Jack) Mazeika of Oxford, Wis., Patti (David) Miller of Brooksville, Fla., Bob Schmidt of Albuquerque, N.M., Joan (Doug) VanKessel of Rockford and Elizabeth (Leroy) Greer of Albuquerque. The lights of Pats life were her 14 grandchildren and 13 greatgrandchildren. Pat was blessed to have married into the Schmidt family and is survived by sistersinlaws, Margaret Keltner, Mary Walton, Cleo Mercaitis and Betty (Louis) DAgnolo. Pat was also predeceased by her loving parents, Jesse and Margaret Darby; her dear brother and sisterinlaw, Jack and Anna Darby; and her Aunt Nelle Hodson; as well as by many friends and family members who were dear to her heart. Funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 22, at Holy Family Catholic Church, 4401 Highcrest Road, with burial in Calvary Catholic Cemetery. Visitation from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21, with a Rosary to be recited at 8 p.m. at the Fitzgerald Funeral Home & Crematory, Riverside Chapel, 3910 N. Rockton Ave. Visitation will also be held from 10 a.m. to service time Saturday at the church. If you are able to attend the services, please honor Pats memory by wearing something in her favorite color, purple. Although Pat loved flowers and attending Mass at St. Annes Chapel, a donation in her memory can be made to St. Anthony School of Nursing or to her family who will make a donation to a cause dear to her heart.