Elodie K. Schmierer, age 90 of Bowdle, died Friday, September 29, 2023 after a short stay in the Bowdle Hospital due to a recent health complication that began this summer.
Up to that time, she proudly lived on her own in her house in Bowdle. Funeral services will be 11 a.m., Friday, October 6, 2023 at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Bowdle, led by Pastor Janet Sandmeier. Interment follows at the Church Cemetery.
Funeral Home visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. Thursday.
Elodie Kathleen, daughter of Olivia (Ulmer) and Paul Kunde, was born November 19, 1932 in Hosmer. This is where she attended school, graduating with the HHS Class of 1950. At the age of 19 with 6 weeks of training, she began her long teaching career in a one-room schoolhouse, NW Sangamon Rural School, 1 mile east and ½ mile south of Hosmer. A true pioneer woman, she arrived by foot early, usually in the dark, to light the potbellied stove and prepare to teach grades 1-8. If she was fortunate a farmer gave her a partial ride but usually she had to walk to and fro. She did that for five years. She went on to earn her teaching certificate from Northern State in Aberdeen.
She married Eldon Schmierer at St. John's Lutheran Church in Hosmer on August 21, 1955, settled in Bowdle and promptly began teaching at the Bowdle Elementary School. In 1964, she earned her BA Degree in Education from Northern State. Her teaching career in Bowdle spanned 32 years. Elodie retired in 1988. Eldon died December 13, 1998 and Elodie continued living in their home in Bowdle for the rest of her life.
She was a very active member of St. Paul Lutheran Church. A selfless and steadfast leader in the Church's Quilting Group, she contributed to the finishing of hundreds of quilts for world relief charities. She also made countless beautiful baptismal cloths and altar cloths for the Bowdle church. She consistently served at funerals and was an officer of her church WELCA group. A pillar of strength in the community, she also was a long-time board member of the Rev. Martin Bieber Library in Bowdle and belonged to the National Education Association and the South Dakota Education Association. Elodie's hobbies and gifts were extensive, not only including sewing and quilting but also crafting, flower and vegetable gardening, canning, and being a very good listener and caring friend/sister. She also loved being a cat owner her entire life.
Elodie is survived by her younger sister, Inez Albrecht, of Woodbury, Minn .; her niece, Lisa Albrecht; nephew, Mark Albrecht; many dear nieces and nephews from the Schmierer side of the family; so many friends who were like family to her; and her beloved cat, Goldie.
In addition to Eldon, she was preceded in death by her father, Paul, on October 4, 1970; her mother, Olivia, on June 29, 1984; sister, Joy Wander, on April 22, 2023; and brothers-in-law, Neal Albrecht and Don Wander.
Honorary bearers will be Elodie's fellow teachers, former students, and the members of the Church Quilting Group, all are valued friends.
Casketbearers will be Wade Schmierer of Leavenworth, Kan; Chester Schmierer and MyRon Zimmer of Bowdle; Lisa Albrecht of St. Paul, Minn .; Mark Albrecht of Woodbury; and Karen Klein of Sioux City, Iowa.
Organist will be Eileen Eisenbeisz and the ushers will be Phillip Peterman and Ward Oster.
Services are in care of Lien Funeral Home, Bowdle. (www.MillerLienFH.com) Elodie's' funeral will be livestreamed at the Lien Family Funeral Care Facebook page.
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