Raymond J. Schmitz

Mass of Christian Burial will be 9 a.m. on Saturday, July 25, 2009 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in St. Joseph for Raymond J. Schmitz, age 82, of St. Joseph who passed away peacefully Thursday, July 23, 2009 at his home. Burial will take place in the parish cemetery with full military honors. Fr. Joseph Feders, OSB, will officiate.

Relatives and friends may call from 4-9 p.m. on Friday (TODAY) and after 8 a.m. on Saturday at the Daniel Funeral Home in St. Joseph. Parish Prayers will be at 5 p.m.

Raymond was born September 14, 1926, in Jacobs Prairie, Stearns County, Minnesota, to Frank and Walburga (Schramel) Schmitz. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and was stationed in Mannheim, Germany.

He married Rita M. Theis on August 21, 1957, at St. Catherine’s Catholic Church in Farming, Minnesota. He farmed in the St. Joseph area for 49 years and was employed at the VA Medical Center in St. Cloud for 32 years as a nursing assistant until his retirement in 1985.

He was a member of the American Legion Post 328 of St. Joseph and the Catholic Order of Foresters, Cold Spring.

Survivors include daughters and sons Martha of St. Joseph, Marvin (Kim) of St. Joseph, Marlene of St. Joseph, Marcia (Ernest) Malisheske of St. Joseph, Mary (Ken) Panek of Avon, Mark (Lisa) Schmitz of St. Joseph, and Myra (Wayne) Hansen of St. Cloud; seven grandchildren: Melissa Schmitz, Daniel Rose, Paul Schmitz, Meggin Schmitz, Michael Schmitz, MaKalla Schmitz, and Anna Panek; and sisters Ester (Martin) Schmitz of Brooten and Rosemary Schroden of St. Joseph.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Walburga, wife Rita (1996), brothers Paul, Wendelin and Alexander, and sisters Bernadette Schmitz and Coletta Janssen.

Memorials are preferred.