God's Guest List - Louis Schmidt

I attended a concert at the Monastery of St. Gertrude several weeks ago and noticed that my mother's dear friend and distant cousin was sitting in the front row.

Louie is almost 96 and lives in a condo by St. Mary's Hospital in Cottonwood.  He and his sweetheart, Mary, lived just a few miles outside of Cottonwood for all their married years, but when she died he moved to town.  He used to call me once in awhile at Juniper Meadows.  I told everyone he was my boyfriend.  He's knows how to make people feel special.  He grabs onto hands, offers kisses, and says the sweetest things.  He often attended daily mass and my Mom liked to surprise him by putting some cinnamon rolls or a pot of soup in his car while it was parked at the church.  She sent him a rose, probably more than once, when Mary suffered with the infirmities of old age and couldn't leave the house any longer.  Louis was born on November 10, 1916 in Greencreek and married Mary Sprute on November 7, 1940, in Keuterville.  He and Mary farmed, ran a dairy and raised five daughters.  

Louie and Herb Ahlers taken in November, 2006

I found these thank you notes from Louis while working on my archives!

I love to capture his handwriting.  He wrote, "You are in my thoughts every day and still pray for your mom every day.  Everybody loved her. I'm getting to be an old man, but people still say I look pretty good. " 

I wrote him a letter after his sister and my sister in law, Betty Wessels passed away.  He wrote "I got to see her in the casket and gave her the last kiss.  She looked like she was asleep. and I couldn't help to hear her say, 'thank you so much and I love you so much my brig brother.' 

"Everyone in the parish had their picture taken about three months ago.  I'm sending you one which came out pretty well."

I hope people will always treasure the written word and I hope my handwriting and eyesight remains good so I can send cards and letters to people after I really retire.  

Louis Schmidt in on God's Guest List because he treasures the memory of my mom and knows how to make me and others feel special.