Carol E. Schmidt

Carol Ellen Schmidt, age 87, a lifelong Merrill resident, passed away on Monday, November 4, 2024, at Pine Crest Nursing Home in Merrill while under the care of Interim Hospice Service. She was born on December 24, 1936 to the late Carl and Ella (Kleinschmidt) Schult in Merrill. Carol attended Trinity Lutheran Church school and then went on to graduate from Merrill High School. She met LeRoy Schmidt and the two were united in marriage on January 15, 1955, they were married for 69 years. LeRoy survives.

Carol worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant for most of her adult life, at Holy Cross Hospital, which at the time of her retirement was Ministry Good Samaritan Hospital. She helped to deliver many babies and provided care for both the babies and new mothers, she also worked on the medical/surgical floor and ended here career assisting in the pharmacy of the hospital. She truly had a servant’s heart, spending many hours volunteering at Bethesda Thrift Store in Wausau many times working alongside her sister, Donna. This became the highlight to her week. Carol supported Lutherans for Life, Hope Center for Women and many other charitable organizations. She looked forward to get aways to Camp Luther, occasional sleepovers with friends and trips to visit her daughter Barb, who lived out of Wisconsin all of her adult life, and also gatherings of her friends’ group, affectionally known as the Ladies of the Lake. Carol was a collector of many things, among them antiques, old quilts, pretty glassware, tea pots and nativity sets, but her favorite thing to collect was cardinals and she had many. Carol and LeRoy were the owners of Schmidt’s Concessions in her younger years. Many weeks were spent at fairs, football games and 4th of July celebrations making and selling cotton candy, snow cones caramel apples and THE BEST POPCORN EVER! Together, they also owned several rental properties, where Carol managed the records and kept things running smoothly. Carol looked forward to the Lincoln County Fair every year, where she entered many handmade items, she was an avid quilter and crafter. She also entered unique antiques and received many ribbons on her entries. Carol was a former member of Zion Lutheran Church, but most of her faithful years were at Trinity here in Merrill, where she was a member of several groups and organizations, most fondly was the quilting for missions group. She is remembered as a caring, compassionate and happy person and will be sadly missed by her family and friends.

Carol is survived by her husband: LeRoy Schmidt of Merrill, daughter: Barb (Bryan) Bonke of Missouri, with their son, Brandon, daughter: Chris (Keith) Maahs of Merrill, with their children, Ryan (Emily) Maahs, Tyler (Kristin) Maahs, Gina (Nick) Zurbey and Jacob (Amber) Maahs, son: John (Ellie) Schmidt of Merrill with their daughter, Katie Halvorson, and daughter: JoAnn (Jeff) Brandenburg, with their daughter, Jennifer (Jon) Lee, great grandchildren: Cale, Kaeden, Hudson, Kinley, Hayden, Bentley, Hollis, Owen, Hazel, Eldrick, Jazalyn and Juliann, sister: Donna (Roger) Block and brother: Allan (Chris) Schult. She was preceded in death by her parents and her daughter: Katherine Schmidt.

The funeral service for Carol will be held on Tuesday, November 12, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Merrill. Rev. Scott Gustafson will officiate. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. until the time of the service, also at the church. Burial at Scott Cemetery will immediately follow the service.

The family wishes to thank Pine Crest Nursing Home and Interim Hospice for their care, love and compassion that was shown to Carol and her family during her stay.

In lieu of flowers, family requests that donations in Carol’s name be directed to the Trinity Lutheran Church.

Taylor-Stine Funeral Home & Cremation Services of Merrill is assisting the family. Online condolences may be made at www.taylorstine.com.