Irene D. Schmidt

Irene Dorothy Schmidt, 96, died peacefully December 26, 2018 at the Iron County Medical Care Facility. Irene was born in Chicago, IL on March 14, 1922, daughter of Harold and Sophie Watts. She and her family survived the Great Depression and she became a lifelong supporter of President Franklin Roosevelt. Irene married James F. Schmidt on July 4, 1944 in Tullahoma, TN, where her husband was in Army training at Camp Forest. While Jim was deployed as a medical orderly in the Pacific Theatre during WWII, Irene worked as a Rosie the Riveter, building aircraft wings and engines for Douglas Aircraft Company. She was especially good at assembling the hard to reach parts of the engines because of her slender arms and wrists. Irene worked many other jobs during her life including an operator for Bell Telephone Company and a candy store and delicatessen clerk. She was always highly valued for her work ethic and pleasant interactions with customers. Irene loved the outdoors and traveling. She spent many happy days picnicking, hiking, and picking berries with her family, and in later years traveling throughout the country with family and friends. After her husband’s death, Irene moved to Ontonagon, MI to be closer to her sons. She kept her house squeaky clean and enjoyed walks through town and along the lakeshore and her volunteer work with St. Vincent DePaul and the Ontonagon County Cancer Association. Irene is survived by her three children, James (Christine) of Felch, MI, Claudia Klipp (Jim) of Cedar Hill, TX, Dave (Cindy) of Atlantic Mine, MI, grandchildren Paul, Scott, James, Kristen and Jim and two great grandchildren, Jacek and Edison. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband and siblings Eleanor of Las Vegas, NV and Dick of Justice, IL. Burial will take place with her husband at St. Mary Cemetery, in Evergreen Park, IL.   Donations in Irene’s memory may be made to the St. Vincent DePaul Society, Ontonagon, MI. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Irene D. Schmidt, please visit our flower store.