Adeline Amanda (Balz) Schmitz, 90, passed away Thursday, February 16, 2023 at Terrace Place in Sheboygan surrounded by her family.  She was born October 22, 1932 to William and Laura (Dedering) Balz on the Balz homestead in Manitowoc County.  She attended a one room schoolhouse, Hillside Grove, for eight grades.  She attended Kiel High School, graduating in 1950 and lived with her grandmother for one year in order to attend school.  She worked at the former Hansen Glove Factory, Kiel after school and on Saturdays as a seamstress during her high school years.

During her youth, she was actively involved in 4H and received many rewards on her exhibits at the county fair in sewing, gardening, canning and baking.

After high school, she began work at Lake to Lake Dairy, first in packaging and later as a laboratory technician.  It was here she met her husband, Gordon.  They were married at St. Anna parsonage on June 3, 1952.  After 64 years of marriage, Gordon passed away on August 10, 2016.

Adeline was a stay-at-home mother.  For many years she was a Cub Scout Den Mother and briefly worked as an Avon representative.

Her church was an important part of her life.  She was baptized and confirmed at Bethlehem United Church of Christ, where she belonged to the choir, youth fellowship and taught Sunday school.  After marriage, she joined St. Peter United Church of Christ in Kiel, of which she has been an active member for over 60 years.  She served as a deacon, elder, sang in Mendelssohn choir for 20 years, chaired the coffee hour and Cookie Walk for many years and was active in Lenten quilting workshops and other committees.

At the age of 49, she attended Lakeshore Technical College to become a certified nursing assistant.  For the next 16 years, she was employed at Willowdale as a CNA, restorative aide and in activities.

The greatest joy of her life was having and raising her children and their accomplishments in life.  She also enjoyed card playing, bird watching and flower and vegetable gardening, the family dogs, Lassie, Muffy and Shatzie being her favorite, whom she took for long country walks.  Decorating for Christmas and Easter were a priority.  She enjoyed the beauty of the seasons and traveling in the US and Europe.  Home cooking was important as she did lots of canning and baking, specializing in peanut squares, bon-bons, pies and homemade bread.  She was a fan of the Milwaukee Brewers and Green Bay Packers.  For several years she was a volunteer at St. Vincent De Paul in Kiel.

Survivors include her four children, David (Helen Himes) Schmitz, Phoenix AZ, Gary (Susan) Schmitz, Malone, Dawnine (Patrick) Lenzner, Sheboygan and Bradley (Sarah) Schmitz, Kiel; her grandchildren, Heidi (Fin) Wiegman, Heather Schmitz, Olivia (Matthew Simons) Schmitz, Grayson (Holly Calcagno) Schmitz, Michael Schmitz (Julika Reese), Jacob Schmitz (Zoe Nevil) and Lilliana Schmitz; great-grandchildren, Ella and Lane Wiegman, Gray and Ford Simons; her sister, Rachel Rabe; sister-in-law and brother-in-law,  Carol Balz and Daniel Schmitz.  She is further survived by many nieces, nephews, other relatives and many special friends.

In addition to her parents and husband, Gordon, she was preceded in death by her brother and sister, Jerome Balz and Marion Balz; her brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: Eugene Rabe,  Pirmin (Cyrilla) Schmitz and Lucina (Lyle) Casper,  Kay Schmitz, and her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Henry and Ida Schmitz.

Funeral services will be held at 12:00 PM on Monday, February, 20, 2023 at St. Peter's UCC (424 Fremont Street, Kiel)  with Rev. Nicole Herda officiating.  Visitation will be at the church on Monday from 9:30 a.m. until 11:45 a.m. Per Adeline's wishes cremation will take place following the service and she will be laid to rest at the Schleswig Cemetery at a later date.

A memorial fund will be established.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff of Terrace Place, Home Instead Senior Care, and Sharon S. Richardson Community Hospice for their care and concern shown to Adeline and our family. A special heartfelt thank you to  Pastor Nicole Herda for all of your visits with our mom the past few months.

When life is difficult, Adeline would tell herself "And this too shall pass."