Dorothy J. (Hildebrandt) Schmidt

Dorothy Schmidt (nee Hildebrandt), 85, of West Bend, found peace on April 7, 2017 at Cedar Community.

Dorothy (Dotty) was born on July 26, 1931 to the late Harold and Rhoda (nee Koch) Hildebrandt in Milwaukee, WI.  Throughout most of her life, Dotty spent her summers on Pewaukee Lake, an amazing gift she shared with her children and grandchildren.  In her youth, she was a gifted sailor, winning the Wisconsin Yachting Association X-scow championship twice, in 1946 and 1947.  Dotty attended Wauwatosa High School (now Wauwatosa East), where she met many of her lifelong friends.  She went to the University of Wisconsin at Madison where she was a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, met her future husband, James (Jim), and received her BA in Child Development/Home Economics in 1953.  On October 10, 1953, Dorothy and James, also of Wauwatosa, were married.

Dotty devoted her life to her husband and children and church.  She raised three boys in Brookfield and Pewaukee, who were her constant delight and challenge.  She was gifted in sewing, knitting, and handicrafts; producing a wide variety of items for her family and church, Elm Grove Lutheran. Dotty made making extraordinary pies and cookies from scratch that seldom lasted for more than a few minutes.  In her spare time, she enjoyed playing bridge, bowling, reading, and working high-level crosswords and complex puzzles.

Those Dotty leaves behind to cherish her memory include her three children, Paul (Kristen) Schmidt, Jamie (Mara) Schmidt, and David (Karen) Schmidt; eight grandchildren, Jonathan Schmidt, Kyra Schmidt, Brian (Rachel) Schmidt, Tim (fiancé Liz) Schmidt, Matthew (Beccah) Schmidt, Patti (Matthew) Kurtz, Wally (Stephanie) Schmidt, and Becky (Dan) Fiorenza; two great-grandchildren, Sarah and Caleb Schmidt; two sisters, Josephine Shannon and Louise Heermanns; and other relatives and friends.

In addition to her parents, Dotty was preceded in death by her husband, James Schmidt.

A memorial service in remembrance of Dorothy will be held on Saturday, April 22, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. at the Cedar Community Theater (5595 Hwy Z), West Bend.

Family will greet relatives and friends at the Cedar Theater on Saturday from 1:00 p.m. until the time of service.

Memorials to the University of Wisconsin – Madison Foundation are appreciated by the family.

A special thank you to all the nurses and staff at Cedar Community for the help and care they provided for the past 6 years.

The Myrhum Patten Miller & Kietzer Funeral Homes have been entrusted with Dorothy’s arrangements.  Online guestbook and condolences maybe be found at www.myrhum-patten.com.

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