Verla M. (Janes) Schmidt

Verla (Janes) Schmidt, 81, of Britt passed away Sunday, July 31, 2016 at Hancock County Memorial Hospital in Britt.

Funeral services for Verla Schmidt will be held on Saturday, August 6, 2016 at 10:30 AM at the Britt Christian Reformed Church - At The Crossroads Ministries, 569 Main Avenue North in Britt, with Pastor Joel DeBoer officiating.  Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery in Britt.

Visitation will be held on Friday, August 5, 2016 from 5:00 – 7:00 PM at Ewing Funeral Chapel, 178 Center Street West in Britt, and continue one hour prior to services at the church on Saturday.

Verla Mae (Janes) Schmidt was born May 3, 1935 in Blairsburg, Iowa.  The daughter of Veryl and Ella (Greenfield) Janes, she was baptized in the Kamrar Presbyterian Church on October 13, 1935.  The family moved to a farm near Wesley, and Verla graduated from the Titonka High School in 1954.

Verla was united in marriage to Jeremiah Schmidt on October 12, 1954 at the Little Brown Church in Nashua.  To this union, children Barb, Brian and Brenda were born.

After Jere returned from the service, they resided in Wesley, Iowa to farm; they then moved to Britt and together ran the local coffee shop. In 1963, they moved to Lower Lake, California where Verla was a homemaker and a Girl Scout leader. In 1972, they returned to Britt where they have lived ever since. Verla worked for SuperValu, Dummett’s Bakery and Mark’s Pizza.

Her true passion was caregiving; she began babysitting at a young age and took care of many children throughout the years.  She especially loved helping raise some of her grandchildren.

Some of Verla’s hobbies include reading, working puzzles, spending time with her husband and grandchildren, and playing with her dog, Bella Mae.

She will be missed by many and always remembered as a mom/grandma to all with a heart of gold.

Verla is survived by her husband Jere of 61 years; children Barb Shew of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, Brian (Kathy) Schmidt of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, Brenda (Brent) Harms of Britt, and; 7 grandchildren; 8 great-grandchildren; sister Deloris (Robert) Ruter of Kanawha, sisters-in-law Sandy Janes of Jensen Beach, Florida, and Phyllis Janes of Garner; along with many nieces, nephews, and friends.

Verla is preceded in death by her parents, infant granddaughter Courtney, and brothers Willis and Keith.