Emil Leo Schmit
Emil Leo Schmit, 93, passed away on Saturday, Jan. 13, at Crossing Rivers Health in Prairie du Chien.
He was born on Feb. 4, 1924, in North Andover, the son of William A. and Anna (Ellerbach) Schmit. Emil graduated Valedictorian from Bloomington High School with the class of 1941. On Sept. 26, 1959, he was united in marriage to Gloria I. (Harris) Deininger at St. John’s Catholic Church in Patch Grove. Emil was a commercial painter doing truck lettering, advertising billboards, and seed corn signs.
Most of his working career was as a Field Manager for Pride Seed Corn Research Farm, later becoming a Pride Corn Salesman before retiring. Some of his favorite stories were of his time in Kauai working to increase corn seed stock during the late 1960s and early 1970s U.S. main land corn blight. He had many stories while working on a repurposed pineapple plantation in the Kauai mountains and was joined several times there by his wife, Gloria.
Emil was a self-trained artist of original oil paintings, many displayed around his home. He taught art and drawing classes at adult enrichment programs in Prairie du Chien. Emil was an avid collector of Native American artifacts found while walking the fields along the Mississippi River. He had an extensive collection of arrow and spear heads as well as Native American hand tools. Emil adopted the personal computer when it first became available and began his path of writing. His weekly column, “Rhyme and Reason,” appeared for over twelve years in the Dubuque, Iowa, daily newspaper, the Telegraph Herald. Emil is a long-time member of both the Dubuque Area Writer’s Guild and the Southwest Wisconsin Writer’s Club.
For many years, Emil designed the birthday and holiday cards he and Gloria sent to the family that included poems and artistic designs. Collections of his poems have been published in his books: “Grandpa’s Rhyming Time, Poems for Children and the Young at Heart,” “My Kind of Haiku,” and “Looking Back Again.” Other various publications containing his works are: “River Valley Rhythms,” “Lead Rush Review” Volume I and II, and “Wisconsin Poets Calendar.” He also edited the book “Cowboy Execution-Justified?” by Joan Tauke-Hess. Emil and Gloria enjoyed traveling around the United States during retirement visiting their children and grandchildren. Emil was a member of St. John’s Catholic Church in Patch Grove and its church council.
Survivors include his loving wife, Gloria; his son: Peter (Jill) Schmit, Hudson; step-children: E. Michael (Patricia) Deininger, Oldsmar, Fla., Joseph (Peggy) Deininger, Verona; Regina (Dana) Fleming, Chino Valley, Ariz., Pamela (Jeff) Buttikofer, Van Nuys, Calif.; seven grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; a sister, Doris Wood, Lakeville, Minn.; other relatives; and many friends.
In addition to his parents, Emil was preceded in death by a grandchild, Gabriel Fleming; his siblings: Bill Schmit and Stella (Ray) Schildgen.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, Jan. 19, at 11 a.m. at St. John’s Catholic Church in Patch Grove with Father John Meinholz officiating. Burial will be in St. John’s Cemetery, Patch Grove. Family and friends may call on Friday from 9 a.m. until time of services at the church. Martin Schwartz Funeral Homes & Crematory in Bloomington is serving the family.
The family would like to express our deepest gratitude to the entire staff of Prairie Maison Nursing Home in Prairie du Chien, where Emil spent the last four years. Emil expressed many times how happy and lucky he was to have the care they provided.
Excerpt from “To Paddle or Drift” by Emil Schmit:
Picture this life
You’re blessed with as
A special, precious gift.
The golden prize
Goes to paddlers
Not to those who just drift.
Online condolences may be left at www.martinschwartzfuneralhomes.com.
