Margaret (Kretschmer) Schmitz

Margaret Bennett Kretschmer Schmitz, daughter, wife, sister, mother, nana, nana-great, and friend, led a life filled with gratitude. Daughter of Charles G. and Mary Agnes (Lavery) Kretschmer, she was born in Dubuque, Iowa on March 9, 1930 and died peacefully on August 20, 2019. Margaret was a graduate of Visitation Academy in 1948 and Clarke College in 1952.

Margaret met James Peter Schmitz at morning mass at the Church of the Nativity in 1948. They married on June 14, 1952 and together they raised eleven children. They were blessed with forty-four years of marriage.

Margaret's legacy of grace and love lives through her children Ann (Kevin) O'Connor, Marc (Joyce) Schmitz, Peter James (Maria) Schmitz, Thomas (Deirdre Egan) Schmitz, Laura (Bruce) Anderson, John (Deb) Schmitz, Mary Margaret (Steve) Wraneschetz, Sara (Mark) Burns, Kathleen (Eric) Schmitz Lynn, and Martha (Chris) Schmitz Paar; twenty-five grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and dear friends whom she treasured. Margaret believed she was greatly blessed from the moment she was born until the day she died.

She was preceded in death by her husband James Peter, her son Peter Charles, grandson Kevin Charles O'Connor, daughter-in-law Joyce Pollack Schmitz, and brothers Charles G. and Frederick L. Kretschmer. 

She is also survived by her sister Mary Agnes Meyer; sisters-in-law Mary Lou Kretschmer and Jean Schmitz Moore, and a brother-in-law Phil Schmitz.

Memorials may be sent to Our Lady of Mississippi Abbey, 8400 Abbey Hill Lane, Dubuque, Iowa 52003; the chapel at Carondelet Village, 525 Fairview Avenue South, St. Paul, Minnesota 55116; or St. Therese at St. Odilia Hospice, 3500 Vivian Avenue, Shoreview, Minnesota 55126.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, August 31st, 2019 at St. Joseph The Worker Catholic Church with Rev. Josef Voller-Konig officiating. Burial will be in Mount Olivet Cemetery, Dubuque, IA. Visitation will be from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Friday, August 30th, 2019 at St. Joseph The Worker Catholic Church where a rosary will be held at 7:00 p.m.  Leonard Funeral Home & Crematory, Dubuque, Iowa is in charge of arrangements.

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