Alfreda Schmidt

Alfreda was a fantastic lady. When I was 10 years old I was in her garage talking to her daughter. I don’t know why but I kissed her daughter. Alfreda’s younger son witnessed it, immediately ran into the house and told his mother. Alfreda came out the back door with a plastic golf club in her hand and chased me right down the middle of Lyncott Ave. Years later we connected as I was an umpire doing charity softball game at Ranny Park and she was participating. I asked if she remembered the incident. She said “yes” and if she had caught me she broken the plastic golf club over my head. We stood there for a moment and suddenly we burst into a laugh filled with tears. She was always a great and caring lady.

I was fortunate to have known her for nearly 12 years. She was one of the most powerful personalities I have ever known.

Alfreda was a friend to my Mother-in-law. They often attended Kiwanis meetings and events together. She literally wore many hats, both as her signature look and in life. I have never met anyone with her level of zest for life and love of the city of Lansing and the people of this area.

My mother-in-law, husband, and I attended a Lugnuts game with Alfreda several years ago and were humbled by her knowledge of the city. Her love of hats was legendary. I once did a presentation on the symbolism of hats in American culture at the Grand Hotel, clearly Alfreda was a huge inspiration. We discussed and compared hats several times. My collection for carriage driving, Alfreda’s for nearly every aspect of her life.

Rest in Peace, Alfreda, my hat loving friend and community Icon. You will truly be missed.

Prayers for her family and friends.

Alfreda Schmidt was a woman of faith, hope and love. She served others and treated people with respect, friendship and profound kindness. It was an honor to know her.

Alfreda was a Servant to God and her community.
Will you let me be your servant,
I will be as Christ to you;
Pray that I may have the grace to
Let you be my servant,too.

I will hold the Christ-like for you
In the night-time of your fear;
I will hold my hand out to you,
Speak the peace you long to hear.

My Irish prayer to you,
May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face and the rain fall soft on your fields.
Until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of his hand.
Kathleen

We adored her. We have known her for over 25 years. At last December’s Light Parade, our adult daughter approached her to say hello. Alfreda remembered her and us! What an amazing memory. She kindly sent us a laminated picture of our 40th wedding anniversary from the LSJ. Her kindness is an understatement. Rest in peace with Frank, Dear Alfreda.

Alfreda always greeted you with a smile. I remember giving her a ride home from meetings and she always wanted me to come in and visit.

When her husband passed I sent her a special card and wrote I was sending her a hug. She called and asked if I could stop by and of course who could refuse her. There on the table was the card. She was so appreciative and I could tell. We sat and talked for awhile about everything and anything that came up.
I will always remember her encouragement to keep working in the neighborhood and that beautiful smile.

So sorry to the Family for your great loss!! She was in the Women’s club I belong to. She will be missed! May her legacy love on!

Heaven received another angel. Alfreda was a true icon and a true trail blazer in the City. I truly looked up to this amazing woman. May your cherished memories of Alfreda bring you comfort and may knowing that she is in God’s loving embrace give you peace.

Alfreda was a great friend to my grandfather William Brenke. She will be greatly missed by all.
Sympathies to the entire Schmidt family.
May God bless you at this difficult time.

The heart always remembers the love of a wonderful person. Reading the messages about Alfreda she was quite a lady with a huge zest for life and I think what I would call quite the whipper snapper! I’m sorry for your loss, but she filled many chapters in her book of life.

Alfreda was a champion for older adults and was very instrumental in supporting vital programs for seniors including Meals on Wheels and in-home service programs. She served on the Tri-County Office on Aging Consortium Board for several years and continued her support for years after. Not only was she supportive of older adult programs, she was supportive of the staff at TCOA. Alfreda made a difference, a very positive difference and I thank her family for sharing her with the community. Marion Owen, Retired Executive Director, Tri-County Office on Aging

Thoughts and prayers sent to the Schmidt Family. Bill and Sandy Schmidt were wonderful neighbors and still wonderful friends. They are always helping neighbors, wishing our children a happy first day of school as they walk to the bus, lending a hand when family members were in the hospital sick, making extended power outages bearable (never forget celebrating with Sandy when the power finally came on after several freezing days) , helping us with Christmas suprises/festivities for the kids, helping neighbors with many unexpected home repairs, and trying to make new neighbors feel welcome. I was very lucky to live next door to them for almost 20 years and after reading this beautiful tribute to Bills mom, I can confidently say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Over the years I heard a number of stories from “Mr Bill'” about his mother. All stories were told with great pride. So sorry for your loss Bill, Sandy, and the entire Schmidt Family.

Alfreda is still a strong force in this life as well as the next always will be. I had the honor to know her well she would bring the paper to my door every day for Marie to read with a smile and a good word to share. I am the lucky one to have had interaction with such a wonderful person she still makes me smile thinking about her. She would want us all to be happy and live together without diversity.

My earliest memories of Alfreda are on her Wedding Day, the day she became my aunt. As I entered the church for her Wedding Mass, I could see that she was wearing lace as were her bridesmaids but, instead of a veil, she donned one of her now famous, elegantly-designed lace hats. After the Mass, we attended a Wedding Breakfast at a hotel restaurant, the tables laid with beautiful crystal, china and linen tablecloths revealed behind French doors.

And, as if that were not enough, we were invited to the Wedding Reception following later at their home in Mason. She opened gifts while we ate wedding cake in a beautiful garden atmosphere. I remember she had already changed clothes for her honeymoon when we arrived. She was wearing a beautifully tailored light-blue suit and, of course, a matching hat with a gold emblem. Since I was only 5 years old, I thought she was royalty! There was no doubt in my mind. She had a good sense of fashion. Over the years she bought me several beautiful dresses for my birthdays. The wedding and all its progressive activities must have hit the society pages. Well done, Aunt Alfreda, well done!

The last time I saw Aunt Alfreda, we talked about the wedding and she said, “Oh my goodness, you remember all of that?” To which I replied, “Yes, I do!” She had nothing to counter with at the time, so I think we can safely assume that my memories are accurate.

During the following years, she also hosted many of our family Thanksgiving dinners and they were just as wonderful. Her house back then had a Victorian touch to it. I felt like I was going over the river and through the woods… I always looked forward to Thanksgiving dinner at Aunt Alfreda’s house. The whole family was together. The same was also true for all of the birthdays and festivities I was able to attend back in the 1950’s and 60’s.

I think it is important to mention that every time we went to the Schmidt home for these different get togethers, including Thanksgiving, a family picture was taken. Before we left, Uncle Frank always gathered us together to take the photo. I remember him setting it all up. He was good with cameras. He had the camera set on automatic and all he had to do was get in the pic at the last moment. He must have been mechanically inclined as he even had a shop in town with watches and clocks, which I remember visiting.

One day Aunt Alfreda brought along one of her family members to lunch at my Grandma Schmidt’s house. Her name was Aunt Mertie and she was a charming, charming lady. On this occasion she brought along an exotic fruit salad. It was so delicious, and she willingly gave us the recipe. Every year on Thanksgiving and other special occasions we make this fruit salad and think of her. We call it Aunt Mertie’s fruit salad.

These are some of my favorite memories of Aunt Alfreda and her family.

Jim and siblings
Sorry that your mom is no longer physically with you, but you know she lives on forever. What an incredible blessing she was to many. You are in my thoughts and prayers. Take care.

To Jim and Family,
My condolences to you. It is with great fondness I think of your mother. It was a privilege to get to know you and your mother early in my career with the City and it was always a pleasure to meet with and serve with her. Alfreda always had the passion, determination and energy for all of the right things to deliver hope to those who needed help. Again I had the privilege of working with Alfreda as she assisted in getting the funding needed to build the playground at the City Rescue Mission’s shelter for homeless women and children. I had just been reviewing pictures of the ribbon cutting when I heard of her passing. May the many great memories of her love and time encourage you all during this time of loss.