Our beloved mother, grandma, great-grandma, and friend Clara Schmiess, age 90, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, February 4, 2015, at the Palliser Regional Care Centre, Swift Current, SK. She was born to the late Lydia and August Reimer at their farm north of Waldeck, SK, on August 5, 1924. Clara began school in the Waldeck area. Following high school in Swift Current, Clara earned her teaching certification at the Moose Jaw Normal School. Starting in 1943, she taught in six different one-room school houses for the next eight years. Clara married Willard on July 10, 1949 in Prairie View, SK. In 1951, she left teaching to focus on their Prairie View farm. Together Clara and Willard both worked on the farm and raised their daughters until Willard's death in 1978. Clara remained on the farm for the next seventeen years. On her retirement in 1996, she moved to Swift Current. Clara took great satisfaction from working with wood; refurbishing and repurposing objects about the house. She believed in the power of the written word. Clara was a poet, wrote editorials, and personal narratives. Family history mattered, so she collected family documents and images to pass down to her descendants. She was a persistent letter writer. From her birth, Clara was a part of the Peace Lutheran Church community in her home district. She transferred her membership to St. Olaf Lutheran Church after moving to Swift Current. She took a keen interest in other protestant denominational activities in her community. Passionate about her faith, Clara taught Sunday School at the St. Olaf Lutheran Church. The meaning and future of Christianity was deeply important to her. Personal reading, Bible study with others, attending conferences, and listening to various broadcast ministries on TBN guided her life. She felt God’s hand guiding and protecting her throughout her life. She worked to keep faith alive in her family, friends, and community. Clara Schmiess was predeceased by her dearly loved husband, Willard; parents, August and Lydia; brother, Vern; and sisters, Frieda, Wilhelmina, Hildegard, and Betty. Clara will be dearly missed by her daughters, Karen (Bruce) George and Lory (Alan) Stange; six grandchildren, Ross (Jill) George, Joel (Calyn) Stange, Carly George, Rachel Stange, Shanna (Brodie) Cuff, Daniel Stange; great-granddaughter, Elika Stange; brothers, Harold and Ervin; sister, Lena as well as numerous other loving relatives and friends. The family would like to express a sincere thank you to the staff of the Palliser Regional Care Centre in Swift Current for the care and compassion shown to Clara over the last year.
The Funeral Service was held on Friday, February 13, 2015 at 1:00 pm from the St. Olaf Lutheran Church, with Pastor Linda Hall officiating. The pianist for the service was Joyce Olesen. “How Great Thou Art”, “Mansion Over The Hilltop” and “Jesus Call Us” were sung by the congregation. Tributes were shared by Clara’s family with “The King Is Coming” sung by Brodie Cuff. The Interment Service was held at the Peace Lutheran Cemetery, with the following grandchildren serving as pallbearers, Ross George, Joel Stange, Carly George, Rachel Stange, Daniel Stange, and Shanna Cuff. In memory of Clara Schmiess, donations made to the Peace Lutheran Cemetery Fund would be appreciated by the family. Funeral arrangements were in care of Swift Current Funeral Home, Swift Current, SK. For further information or to leave a personal message of condolence on the family‘s obituary page, please go to swiftcurrentfuneralhome.com.