Ruby Mae Schmidt

Ruby Mae Schmidt, age 102, of Arlington, passed away November 21, 2011, at the Arlington Good Samaritan Center. Funeral services will be 2:00 P.M. Wednesday, November 23 at Peace Lutheran Church in Arlington, with visitation one hour prior to the service time at the church. Rev. Kurt Lehmkuhl will officiate. Interment will be at the Arlington Public Cemetery, with Kolden Funeral Home of Arlington handling the arrangements. Ruby was born September 4, 1909, to Frank and Maud (Thorne) Tolin in Wataga, Illinois. As a young child she came with her family to live near Montevideo, MN. Ruby started her lifelong career in sales at the J.C. Penney Store in Mankato. After her marriage to Herbert Schmidt in the early 1930's she moved to Arlington, and they were blessed with two daughters. She worked at Kruger's Dry Goods store in Arlington for 14 years before she and Herb owned and operated the Red Owl Grocery for ten years. After her husband passed away in 1977 Ruby worked at Milts Pharmacy and Morreim Pharmacy Ruby had an enthusiasm for life that never diminished. With her outgoing personality, she wanted to do and see everything. Though she always worked full time, she was able to take several trips abroad, meeting relatives in Sweden, and vacationing in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, the Bahamas, and Germany, as well as many trips in the U.S. In 1983 Ruby began her retirement years living in Mesa, AZ. during the winter months, and returning to her home in Arlington for the summer. She enjoyed playing bridge, sewing quilts and selling pies at the county fair for Peace Lutheran Church. It took deafness and Macular Degeneration of Ruby's eyes which caused her blindness, to slow her down, and she became a resident of the Good Samaritan Home in November of 2006. Ruby was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Herbert, her brother and sister and an infant great-granddaughter. Ruby is survived by her two daughters, Beverly Moorman and Bonnie Berger, six grandchildren, many great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.