Edward Schmidt

Edward H. Schmidt, age 93, of Waseca, formerly of Janesville, died on Thursday, March 12, at Lake Shore Inn, Waseca, following a brief illness.      Funeral services will be held on Tuesday March 17, 2009 at 11 a.m. at Faith United Methodist Church in Waseca with Rev. Neil Westby officiating. Interment will be in the Woodville Cemetery.      Visitation will be held on Monday March from 4 to 7 pm at the Arnold-McRaith Funeral Home in Janesville, and will continue on Tuesday, March 17 for one hour prior to services at church. In lieu of flowers memorials preferred to ISJ Hospice.      Edward Henry was born on August 30, 1915 in rural Fergus Falls, to Frank and Anna (Pedersen) Schmidt. On August 31, 1939 Edward was united in marriage to Viola (Neumann) at the First Evangelical and Reformed Church in Fergus Falls. Over the years Ed and Vi lived in various Minnesota communities including Fergus Falls, Crystal, Janesville, and Waseca. In the early years Ed and Vi farmed in the Fergus area. Ed formed Ed Schmidt Construction Co. and built many houses in that area. After moving to Crystal, Ed worked for DJ Kranz Construction Company and contributed to the building of North Memorial Hospital. After retiring to Janesville, Ed enjoyed doing handyman jobs and volunteer projects for the community.  He loved playing cards with neighbors and friends.      In the later years Ed was probably best known for his quilt making with donations to Waseca Fire and Police Departments, local benefit projects, church missions and RSVP. He was featured on KARE 11 "Land of 10,000 Stories" plus numerous feature stories in local papers. At the time of his death, Ed was a member of Faith United Methodist Church in Waseca and the Waseca Senior Center.      He is survived by his daughters Donna and her husband Richard Fisher of Rapid City, SD and their two sons, John and Gen Fisher Clark of Lakehurst, NJ and Robert Fisher of Post Falls, ID: Duff and her husband Don Schuldt of Elysian and their children Tanner Schuldt of Elysian, McKenzie and Jay Mulder of Elysian, Marne Schuldt and fiancé Justin Slack of Owatonna and  foster son John More of Sioux Fall, SD; by his great grandchildren Lanaye and Scott Ross of San Antonio, TX Alexandria Ham of Warrenton, MO and Peyton Schuldt of St. Louis Park, Jaidann Mulder of Elysian and by special friends Wayne and Connie Baumgartner of St. Peter; sisters Adeline Rose, of Fergus Falls, Arlene and Milton Erlandson, of Elbow Lake, Marie Johnson, of Fergus Falls, and sister-in-law Lu Schmidt of Hutchinson, plus many nieces and nephews.      He was preceded in death by his wife Viola, on October 12, 2008 by parents and parents-in-law; his brother Alvin, and brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.