Lila D Schmitz

Lila Schmitz, age 80, of Granton, WI died Friday, April 11, 2014 at the Memorial Medical Center in Neillsville following a courageous 25 year battle with Parkinson's disease.Lila Dawn Sternitzky was born on April 11, 1934 in the Town of Lynn, Wisconsin the daughter of Clarence and Selma (Handke) Sternitzky. She grew up in Lynn and attended Maple Grove Grade School. She graduated from eighth grade at the Lutheran Church School and then attended and graduated from Granton High School. Lila then went on to college and earned a Bachelor's Degree in Education from the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point. In 1955, she began her teaching career at the Sun Bean Grade School in the Town of Lynn, a one room country school house where she taught all eight grades. On May 26, 1956 she was united in marriage to Jerry Schmitz in Granton. They farmed in the Town of Lynn while Lila continued teaching. From Sun Bean she then taught at the Mayflower Grade School and eventually went to the Granton Public Schools, where she began teaching at the high school and retiring in 1992 teaching at the fourth grade level. They farmed until 1996, then enjoying travel to friends and family homes. In 2012, they moved to Sunset Gardens in Neillsville.She was a member of the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Granton where she was also a member of their choir, taught Sunday School, attended Ladies Bible Study and taught Wednesday night Confirmation class. Lila loved to travel, go dancing and listen to polka music. She was an excellent cook and she loved to bake cookies for her grandchildren.She is survived by her husband, Jerry, four sons, Tim (Jane) Schmitz and Terry (Sandy) Schmitz both of Granton, WI, David (Karen) Schmitz of Germantown, WI, and Kevin (Shelly) Schmitz of Neillsville, WI, 13 Grandchildren, Molly, Ali, Matt, Tara, Kortney, Logan, Nick, Kelsey, Carter, Kenzie, Jason, Kolin, and Karcyn,. She is also survived by a sister, Velda Galloway of Taylor, SC., brothers, Stanley (Karlene) Sternitzky of Rice Lake and Marvin (Roberta) Sternitzky of Blair and many nieces and nephews.She was preceded in death by her parents.Funeral Services for Lila will be held at 11:00 a.m., Monday, April 14, 2014 at the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Granton, WI. Pastor Daniel Schoessow will officiate. Interment will be in the Town of Lynn Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., with a 7:45 prayer service, Sunday, April 13, 2014 at the Gesche Funeral Home in Neillsville and again from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., Monday at the church. Casket Bearers are her grandsons, Matt Schmitz, Logan Schmitz, Nick Schmitz, Carter Schmitz, Jason Kurth and Kolin Schmitz.Memorials may be designated to the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church Missouri Synod in Lila's name.Funeral Home:Gesche Funeral Home4 South Grand AvenueNeillsville, WIUS 54456