Marie Schmidt was born Marie Borgia Slyker in Detroit, Michigan on June
16, 1918 to Francis and Loretta (Lawson) Slyker. Marie cultivated
countless lifelong relationships during childhood, at college, during
her professional life, and in her work as a volunteer. She was schooled
at St Mary's, in Detroit, Michigan, and graduated with both a B.S. in
Science and a teaching credential from St Joseph's college in
Emmitsburg, Maryland. She later received an associate degree in library
technology from Fullerton College, in Fullerton, California.
Marie married Frederick William Schmidt II on June 21, 1941. They
settled for a time in New Jersey, where their first five children were
born. In 1951 Fred received an attractive job offer in California, so
the family moved to Whittier, California, where the rest of the
children were born. In 1966 the family moved to Placentia, Californis,
where Marie resided the rest of her life. She stayed in constant
contact with her fellow St Joseph's Alumni. As the children grew in
southern California, Marie worked as a clerk in department stores, and
as the children matured, she began a second career selling newspaper
advertising. In this capacity she made and benefited from friendships
that lasted well beyond her professional life.
Marie later joined the Placentia Historical Society, the Yorba Linda
Historical Society and the Placentia Library District Historical
Committee, and functioned as a docent for the Bradford House. To say
Marie was an active volunteer for the City of Placentia and great
source of knowledge regarding local history is an understatement. She
truly loved her volunteer work, and loved the friends she made and the
accomplishments they all shared. Marie was a devout member of St
Joseph's Catholic Church in Placentia for nearly 50 years. She was an
excellent seamstress, enjoyed collecting dolls and rousing game of
Scrabble. Her friends meant a great deal to her. A usual night for
Marie was one spent talking on the phone to a fellow Placentia
volunteer or a to friend from college "back East."
Marie was considered a "historical volunteer extraordinaire", and her
work over the years was repeatedly recognized by Placentia's city
council. It was in late 2011 that Marie officially retired from her
volunteer work at the Placentia Public Library's History Room, which
she, along with friends and associates Pat Irot and Pat Jertberg,
created in 1991. In January 2012, the trio were officially recognized
by the Placentia city council for their 20+ years of work founding and
maintaining the History Room. Marie was also a former chairperson and
an emeritus member of the Placentia Historical Society, as well as
being an active member of the Orange County Historical Society, the
Yorba Linda Historical Society and the Placentia Library District
Historical Committee. Her other volunteer works included the Placentia
Round Table Club, Cub Scouts, Girls Scouts, and School Parents Clubs of
California. She was a docent at the historic Bradford House, and
continued docent work there even after retirement from the History
Room. She was considered one of the most productive volunteers in local
history, and the the Placentia Library's History Room remains as a
testament to her work in the field of preserving the city's history for
future generations.
By 94, Marie had survived her husband Frederick (who himself passed on
October 1, 1998), her parents, her four brothers and four
sisters-in-law (Francis and Helen, Charles and Lucile, Jack and Eleanor
and Bob and Kay), her three older children, Barbara Emma, Frederick
William III and Roderick Lawson, and granddaughters Deanna Marie and
Breanna Barbara(who had passed when in their infancy). Marie is
survived by her children, Robert Paul, David Glenn, Michael Quentin,
Patricia Marie and Diane Lucile, ten grandchildren, two
great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins across
the country.
After two months of illness, Marie passed away comfortably in her sleep
on October 1, 2012 at the age of 94.
