Obituary

Dolores Marie Schmit, age 86 of Goodyear, AZ died peacefully on November 18, 2019, surrounded by her entire family. She was born January 26, 1933, in Chicago, IL to Leo and Marie Leonard DeBock. Dolores grew up in Chicago and graduated from Immaculata High School in 1950. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Loyola Nursing School in 1954.

Nursing defined Dolores’ life. She was dedicated to the profession and worked in a variety of unique situations. She began her career working for a hospital and then became a visiting nurse. She enlisted in the US Air Force Reserve and achieved the rank of Captain. She worked for Amtrak as a traveling nurse, making the trip between Dallas and San Francisco hundreds of times. She was approached by the Chicago Board of Education to help start a two-year practical nursing program and stayed with the program for 10 years. During the 1970s and 80s she was a member of the Nurses Club and worked as the Village Nurse for Wheeling Township in Illinois.

Dolores and her husband Karl, a public school teacher, were married in 1969. They moved to Arlington Heights, IL where they raised their two sons. Dolores played an active role in both her sons’ lives. She was the rock of the family, requiring unwavering respect for rules while showering her sons with love and encouragement. Her fun personality and sense of humor endeared her to her sons’ friends who lovingly called her, “Mom”.

In 1997, Dolores and Karl retired to Goodyear, AZ. She joined the Nurses Club and volunteered through St. Vincent DePaul doing home visits. She helped organize the PebbleCreek Lunch Bunch group and was also involved in the Canasta group. She was an avid reader and loved to dance, taking ballroom dancing and line dancing classes with her husband.

Dolores is survived by her husband, Karl Otto Schmit, and sons, Mark Schmit and Todd Schmit. A vigil with a rosary will be at 1:00 pm followed by a memorial service at 1:30 pm, Saturday, November 30, 2019, at Thompson Funeral Chapel, 926 S. Litchfield Road, Goodyear, AZ 85338. Condolences for the family may be left at www.ThompsonFuneralChapel.com.