Gracia Schmidt, BVM
Gracia Schmidt, BVM died Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2015, at Marian Hall in Dubuque, Iowa.Visitation will be from 9–11 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 28, 2015, in the Marian Hall Chapel followed by a prayer service at 11 a.m. Funeral liturgy will be at 1:30 p.m. Burial is in the Mount Carmel cemetery.
She was born in Marathon City, Wis., on Nov. 15, 1914, to Charles and Gertrude R. Mucha Schmidt. She entered the BVM congregation Sept. 8, 1933, from St. Bonaventure Parish, Chicago. She professed first vows on March 19, 1936, and final vows on Aug. 15, 1941.
Gracia was an elementary school teacher, principal and music teacher in Chicago and Maywood, Ill.; Casper, Wyo.; and Emmetsburg, Iowa.
She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Virgil and Francis, and sister Marjorie Nestor. She is survived by nieces, nephews and the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, with whom she shared life for 82 years.
Sister Gracia Schmidt, BVM
Funeral Welcome
Marian Hall, Sept. 28, 2015
Good afternoon and welcome to the celebration of life of our Sister Gracia Schmidt.
Bernice Mary Schmidt was born on Nov. 15, 1914, in Marathon City, Wis., but grew up in Chicago. She was the second of the four children of Charles Schmidt and Gertrude Mucha. She had an older brother Virgil, who died at age 9, a younger brother Francis, and a younger sister Marjorie.
Bernice attended St. Vincent ES where she was introduced to the BVMs and later obtained a scholarship to attend The Immaculata. During her freshman year, the United States plunged into the Great Depression. Eventually Bernice’s music lessons had to be discontinued due to tight family finances. Her mother insisted that Bernice focus on her studies instead of working through her high school years and she graduated as the valedictorian of her class.
During an interview, Bernice recalled her great desire to become a BVM. “Sister Mary Genevieve Collins drew me aside to ask where I was going to college. I burst into tears telling her we didn’t have enough money to get me ready to go to Mount Carmel where I really wanted to go. She was wonderful and made all the arrangements for me . . .”
The superior at The Immaculata, Sister M. Consuela Martin, praised Bernice, writing, “Her cooperation and dependability are on par with her scholarship.” Her pastor at that time wrote, “Bernice is a practical Catholic . . . I have always admired her deep faith and solid piety . . . I am glad . . . I am sending to you such a pious, solid, learned prospect.” To quote the welcome for Gracia’s 100th birthday celebration, “The qualities they identified have endured and grown and created a beautiful life symphony.”
Bernice Mary entered the congregation on Sept. 8, 1933, calling it “the best decision of my life.” She received the name Gracia upon her reception on March 19, 1934, professed first vows on March 19, 1936, and lived 82 years as a BVM. After teaching first grade at St. Ferdinand in Chicago, Gracia spent 46 years teaching music in Chicago and Maywood, Ill.; Casper, Wyo.; and Emmetsburg, Iowa. She also served as principal at St. Ellen ES in Emmetsburg.
Gracia loved her first mission, but then she was assigned as the “temporary” music teacher at St. Dorothy ES in Chicago. She commented, “It was as Mother Cecilia said, ‘Can you find Middle C on a piano? Yes? Then you are a music teacher.’”
As the only music teacher at St. Anthony ES in Casper, she taught classes, gave lessons, and provided church music, including the music for a bishop’s installation. A sister who lived with her at St. Jerome in Chicago noted that Gracia had the same patience with every little piano student as the scales were played over and over throughout the day.
At St. Eulalia ES in Maywood, she taught a boys’ choir for the first time. Fifty years later, Gracia received a letter from a former member of that choir. He wrote, “You were always my favorite sister . . . I want to thank you for having such a positive influence on my life. I don’t think I truly realized the extent of that influence until I got older and started to reflect back. I also now realize how much you and the other Sisters gave up to dedicate yourselves to your students’ development . . . God bless you, Sister. Thank you for everything.”
Gracia joined the BVM retirement community at St. Constance convent in Chicago in 1987. She quickly immersed herself in the life of the parish as a lector, Eucharistic minister, member of the wake team, and Sunday collection counter, to name a few. In 2000, Gracia was named “Woman of the Year” in her vicariate by the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women (ACCW).
Gracia moved to the Motherhouse when BVMs left St. Constance in 2003, telling others, “I think of Mount Carmel as paradise.” She quickly embraced a variety of activities: She was a frequent lector at Mass and read to the sisters. She took Sudoku and BVM history classes, participated in Wii bowling (supposedly, she still holds the highest score), and joined the Knit Wits to make warm scarves and hats for needy children. Her face would light up whenever a visitor entered her room and she often exchanged a hug and an “I love you” with the aides. Her one and only request was “Pray for me.”
St. Paul wrote, “Put on then . . . heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience . . . And over all these put on love.” Gracia “wore” all of these beautifully as well as gratitude, wisdom and joy. In recent days, a simple statement has been heard over and over again on campus—“She was so nice to everybody!” While her physical presence may be gone, her beautiful spirit remains with us. She was a great lady. To put it simply: “Gracia. What’s not to love?”