Janice Schmitke
Janice Schmitke, 80, of Thief River Falls, MN, resident of Greenleaf Assisted Living in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, went to meet her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Friday, December 9, 2016.
Funeral services were held at 11:00 AM on Friday, December 16, 2016 at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, Thief River Falls, MN with Rev. Wesley Langaas officiating. Burial followed at Rindal Cemetery near Viking, MN.
Visitation was held from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM with a 7:00 PM prayer service on Thursday, December 15, 2016 at Johnson Funeral Service, Thief River Falls, and again one hour prior to the funeral at the church.
Janice Arlene (Hall) Schmitke was born May 31, 1936 in Thief River Falls, MN, the daughter of Olaf M. and Mayme C. (Evenson) Hall. Janice was baptized and confirmed in the Christian faith at Rindal Lutheran Church, rural Newfolden, MN. She grew up in New Solem Township, Marshall County, MN. Janice enjoyed taking care of their horses, Maude and Bessie.
She attended Busy Bee Country School for 1 year, then Holt Elementary through her 8th grade and graduated from Newfolden High School in 1954. She worked at Parkins Corner Drug from 1954 to 1976 and also worked security for North Central/Republic Airlines from 1972 until August of 1983, at which time the airline left Thief River Falls.
On December 25, 1955, Janice was united in marriage to Irvin M. Schmitke at Rindal Lutheran Church, while Irvin was home on furlough from his airborne unit (it was -32 degrees that night). To this union 3 children were born: Gregory, Mark and Kristi. After Irvin’s honorable release from service in 1957, the couple lived on the Iron Range of Minnesota, then Minneapolis, MN, Chicago, IL, Thief River Falls, MN, Fargo, ND and back to Thief River Falls.
While in Fargo, Janice worked with the Fargo School system and also did custodial work at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. After returning to Thief River Falls she worked with the Franklin School lunch program.
Janice was very active in Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, holding different positions in the WMF as well as with the youth, parish Education Board and Sunday School teacher. She enjoyed church work, family, traveling, being with friends, regular trips to the Dairy Queen and the color red.
She is survived by her husband of almost 61 years, Irvin Schmitke, Thief River Falls, MN; children: Gregory (Renate) Schmitke, Moorhead, MN, Mark (Kim) Schmitke, Thief River Falls, MN and Kristi Schmitke, Tacoma, WA; grandchildren: Joshua (Margaret) Schmitke, Willow City, ND, Alisha Schmitke, Alexandria, MN, Benjamin (Megan) Schmitke, Moorhead, MN, Ruth (Anders) Gredvig, Cottage Grove, MN, Elizabeth (Samuel) Brinks, North Las Vegas, NV, Ryan Twedt and Cassandra Twedt, both from Fargo, ND; great grand-daughters, Naomie Schmitke, Adeline Gredvig and Eliyah Brinks; sisters: Lenore Wold and Carol (Harlen) Halvorson, both Thief River Falls, MN; brother: David (Dee) Hall, Pine Island, MN; brothers and sisters-in-law: Doris Seybold, North Branch, MN, Margaret Bugge, Carmicheal, CA, Hedy Schmitke, Chandler, MN, Mildred (Emery) Horien, Holt, MN, Harold Schmitke, Waconia, MN, Otto Schmitke, Sandy, Utah, Joyce Schmitke, Mesa, AZ, and several nephews, nieces and friends.
Janice was preceeded in death by her parents: Olaf and Mayme Hall, step-dad, Carl Aune, grandparents on both sides, brother: Vernon Hall, father and mother-in-law: Carl and Alvina Schmitke, brothers and sisters-in-law: Rueben Wold, Clifford Bugge, John and Freda Varland, Doris Schmitke, Richard and Agnes Ostrm, Arnold Schmitke, William and Betty Waterworth, Mary Schmitke, Elmer and Amy Gutterud, Martin Schmitke and Carl Schmitke.
Janice wants everyone to know that you must have Jesus as your personal Savior to get to heaven. See John 3: 15-18.
May Janice’s memory be blessed.
Family condolences may be sent to www.johnsonfuneralservice.com