Jeanne Eve Schmitz June 19, 1933 – February 23, 2019 Share this obituary View/Sign Guest Book| Send Private Condolences| Send Sympathy Card Jeanne ended her long walk down the dark path of Alzheimer’s disease at home on February 23 at age 85. This precious woman enriched the lives everyone that knew her. Her genuine interest in people, her joyous personality, and her deep humanity made her a truly unique human being.
Jeanne sought out the best in everyone, treating everyone equally, always with genuine interest and respect. Jeanne was married to Michael for 62 loving years. He felt blessed to provide her with loving care at home, with fine help, right to the end.
Jeanne and Mike met at the University of Wisconsin, and after their first date they knew they had found their life’s mate. They were two people, but they shared one soul. Jeanne was an art major at Wisconsin as well as a celebrity, resulting from her role as the director, choreographer and lead dancer of the famous annual Humorology variety shows.
Mike always said that she was the best dancer on campus. If there was Dancing With The Stars in 1955, Jeanne would have taken the prize. After graduation Jeanne took a corporate position, but she always loved children and she soon left to teach at St. Monica School.
When her two children entered St. Eugene School Jeanne assisted on an almost daily basis, including extended teaching assignments. Jeanne’s life was devoted to these two children, Joey, who tragically passed away at age 19 in 1981, and Susie, who passed away in 2017. She lavished love on both of these children.
Jeanne rose above these tragedies with strength, grace, and dignity, and in this sense she has been a model for those who suffer the loss of their closest loved ones. The storms of life never took her off course. Her two adoring grandchildren, Drew and Alex Jensen, have been the center of her life.
How fortunate they have been to have had a Grandmother like Jeannie. Jeanne is also survived by her son-in-law Tom Tavolier, cousins, nieces, nephews, and many close friends. Jeanne’s art degree, combined with an innate sense of color and design was applied to both of the homes that she and Mike designed and built in Mequon and Door County.
She loved Door County, where her creative talent complemented nature’s beauty. Jeanne said that she felt closer to God in Door County. Jeanne also loved The Milwaukee Symphony, whose concerts she and Mike attended for 50 years.
She always left these concerts uplifted and inspired. Jeanne felt that regularly attending these concerts made one into a better person. She is proof that that is true.
Wonderfully, several musicians individually came to her home to play for Jeanne during her last weeks. Jeanne was also active at the Art Museum. She was a competitive tennis player, a fine bridge player, and a talented practitioner of French cooking.
Jeanne said life was to short to have a bad meal. She and Mike were adventurous travelers, having visited 33 countries over a lifetime of travel. Jeanne was a gift of God.
We have lost a beautiful human being here on earth, but Heaven has gained an even more beautiful soul. A celebration of Jeanne’s life will be held on March 4 at Lumen Christi Catholic Church, 2750 W Mequon Road, at the corner of Range Line Road, Mequon. Visitation at the church will begin at 9:30.
The service will start with a Family Eulogy at 10:45 and Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00. A reception will follow. Interment will be private at the family cemetery.
If desired, memorials may be sent to The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, 110l N Market St, Milwaukee 53202, or The Michael and Jeanne Schmitz Depression Research Fund at Marquette University, PO Box 1881, Milwaukee 53201.
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