Melinda L. Schmid, age 80, of Hillsboro, ND, formerly of Washburn and Bismarck, ND, went to be with her Heavenly Father on May 30, 2009. She was a resident of the Hillsboro Nursing Home.
Melinda began her life on November 7, 1928, in Turtle Lake, ND. She was the oldest of three daughters born to Fred and Bertha (Knippelberg) Giedd. She was raised on the family farm 11 miles south of Turtle Lake and received her elementary education in a country school. Melinda graduated from Washburn High School in 1946 and attended Capital Commercial College in Bismarck. She worked for Gaffney & Shippley Furniture and Office Supplies for a short time.
On October 10, 1948, she married Jacob "Jack" Luithle in Washburn. They made their home on a farm near Washburn and had five children, with one daughter who died in infancy. They farmed in McLean County until 1969, when Jack was killed in a farm accident. In the fall of that year, Melinda and her children moved into Washburn.
In 1973, she found happiness a second time with her marriage to Irvin Schmid on July 9th. Irvin and Melinda continued to live in Washburn until moving to Bismarck in 1996. The next years were spent traveling to visit their children and grandchildren. They enjoyed many out-of-state bus tours as well as a mission trip to Brazil with her daughter and son-in-law, Jodi and Tim Blackburn. In January 2006, Melinda and Irvin moved to Hillsboro to be near her son, Dr. Tim Luithle. She became a resident of the Hillsboro Medical Center Nursing Home in February 2006.
She is survived by: her husband, Irvin Schmid of Hillsboro; two daughters, Jodi (Tim) Blackburn of Chicago, IL, and Cheri (Larry) Bena of Denver, CO; two sons, Byron (Betty) Luithle of Minot, and Tim (Kim) Luithle of Hillsboro; 13 grandchildren, Aaron, Heidi and Amy Luithle, Joshua Blackburn and Melody Blackburn-Ortiz, Mike, Matt and Chris Bena, Steph, Jake, Isaac, Hannah and Sarah Luithle; two great-grandchildren, Zackariah Luithle and Jordan Bena; one stepdaughter, Elmira (Greg) Barcello of Prosser, WA; two stepsons, Ivan (Lynn) Schmid of Amarillo, TX, and Earl (Marilyn) Schmid of Palm Desert, CA; five stepgrandchildren and one stepgreat-grandchild; one sister, Gladys (Don) Walz of Bismarck; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
Melinda was preceded in death by her parents; one infant daughter, Lyn Luithle; her first husband, Jacob "Jack" Luithle; and one sister and brother-in-law, Florence and Orin Reiser.
Funeral Services: 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 3, 2009, Washburn Baptist Church, Washburn, ND, with the Rev. Rick Torkelson and the Rev. Tim Blackburn, officiating.
Interment: Will follow at the Washburn Baptist Cemetery.
Visitation: Will be held from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the church.
Memorials: Memorials are preferred to the Washburn Baptist Church, 414-5th Ave., Washburn, ND 58577.
Provide condolences and sign the guestbook at (www.goetzfuneralhomes.com).
(Goetz Funeral Home, Washburn)