Rita Alice Schmidt, age 96, passed away Tuesday, December 31, 2024, at the Christian Community Home of Osceola, WI.

Rita is survived by her children, Connie (Mike) Wood of Marco Island, FL, Tom Schmidt of Taylor’s Falls, MN, Joan (Tim) Stelter of Osceola, WI, and daughter-in-law, Peggy Schmidt (Mike) Provenzano of Shoreview, MN; grandchildren, Jon (Julie) Wood, Kate (Kelly) Wynn, Adam (Nicole) Droher, Matthew (Tonya) Droher, Sarah (Kyle) Borrell, Anthony (Titi) Schmidt, and Daniel (Sami) Schmidt; great-grandchildren, Sienna, Sawyer, Sasha, Savannah, Asher, Everett, Ida, Arlo, Alexa, Lyla, Croix, Ryleigh, Tate, Camela, Eliana, Finley and Zoe. Sister Rose Ulrich and Brother Alvin (Al) Meister; also, many nieces and nephews.

Rita was preceded in death by her husband of 71 years Harold John, parents, Alphonse (Al) and Ida Meister and her son Brian.

Rita was born in St Paul, MN on April 25th, 1928. She was united in marriage to Harold Schmidt on October 15th, 1948, in Maplewood, MN where she and Harold raised their four children. In 1974, Rita and Harold purchased the Woodhill farm in Osceola and converted the 100-year-old barn to a retail operation known as Woodhill Cheese and Liquors with antiques they had been collecting, cheese, liquor and gifts. Rita gave all her energies to her customers from preparing cheese trays, to educating them on a large variety of cheese and liquor. Retirement took Rita and Harold to Lake Havasu, AZ where she could expand on her talents for quilting and crafts. As a couple they made new friends and reconnected with ‘old’ friends for 24 years. When Harold passed in 2019, her time was spent sewing, working on gardens at the lake and enjoying the hummingbirds that returned to her feeders in droves. Rita was also member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Taylors Falls.

The family of Rita would like to thank the caring staff at the Christian Community Home of Osceola for assisting Rita in her valiant fight against congestive heart failure.

Memorials are preferred to the International Myeloma Foundation (IMF) at www.myeloma.org. or Children’s MN www.childrensmn.org/giving.

Visitation will be Tuesday, January 7th from 4-7pm at Grandstrand Funeral Home in Osceola. Visitation will also be Wednesday, January 8th from 10-11am at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Taylor Falls, MN, followed by the Mass of Christian Burial at 11am.

Last Update: Jan 03, 2025 12:55 pm CST