Gladys Schmidt

Gladys Gene (Shong) Schmidt, 86, of Great Falls, a retired business owner and homemaker, passed away at her home Monday, January 3, 2012 of natural causes.Funeral services will be held at Bethel Lutheran Church on Monday, January 9, 2012 at 11:00 am.A reception will follow at the church.Inurnment will be at a later date. Schnider Funeral Home is handling arrangements.Gladys was born March 3, 1925 in Sherwood, North Dakota to Alfreda and Raymond Shong.She was raised on the family farm in rural Renville County, North Dakota, and graduated from Golden Valley School in 1943.She soon left North Dakota for Montana, following her older sister, Hazel, to work at a caf in Sunburst. When her sister was badly injured in a car accident, Gladys moved to Great Falls to work and to take care of her.Gladys and Gordon Schmidt were married July 27, 1946 at the old Columbus Hospital at her sisters bedside.They initially lived downtown where Gordon had established Smittys Body Shop, while they built their permanent home on the southwest side.Gordon and Gladys later established Smittys Welding Shop and owned and ran it until Gordon retired.Gladys enjoyed gardening, keeping an immaculate yard, and sharing good times with friends and family.She was very active at Bethel Lutheran Church and enjoyed working on various activities at the church.Gladys is survived by a son Guy Schmidt of Great Falls; daughters Gina Moore of Salinas, CA, Coralee Olson of Tucson, AZ, and Merilee Lafond and husband Russell of Roy, MT; sister Francis Marzetta of Lake Havasu, AZ; seven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.Gladys was predeceased by her parents; her sister, Hazel Seibert of Great Falls; brothersPeter Shong of Edinburg, TX, Frank Shong of Great Falls, and Robert Conway at Normandy, France. The family requests that memorials be made to Bethel Lutheran Church in Great Falls.