Jean Schmidt

Jean Marie Schmidt, 52, of Oakdale, MN, formerly of Red Wing, died unexpectedly Tuesday, May 24, 2011 at Fairview Ridges Medical Center in Burnsville. She was born February 25, 1959 in Red Wing, the daughter of James E. and Elda M. (Hansen) Reitan. She was a 1977 graduate of Central High School and she attended nursing school at Midway Hospital and Bethel College. She married Michael Vanberg and they later divorced. She met Thomas Schmidt in 1994, they married on September 12, 1998 and spent 17 years together before divorcing. She worked as a Registered Nurse at numerous hospitals, including St. John's in Red Wing and Maplewood, Health East in St. Paul, Fairview in Wyoming, MN and also worked as a traveling nurse, making a few trips to Houston, Texas. She most recently worked for Blue Cross Blue Shield of MN as an RN Case Manager. In her younger years she went deer hunting with her dad. She enjoyed boating, fishing, canoeing, hiking and traveling to Hawaii, scrapbooking, gardening, spending time with her "sistas" and her pets, especially her yellow lab, Beau, reading and attending Minnesota Twins and Wild games and concerts.

Survivors include her mother, Elda Reitan of Oakdale; her special friend, Brian Crowson of Burnsville; her former husband, Thomas Schmidt of Stacy, MN and his children, Amanda (Stephen) Whetstine and Ryan Schmidt; and her best friend/sista, Darlene Engblom of Oakdale.

Funeral service will be 11 a. m. Tuesday, May 31, 2011, at Mahn Family Funeral Home, Bodelson-Mahn Chapel, with Reverend Eugene Hasselquist officiating. Honorary pallbearers will be Brian Crowson, Thomas Schmidt, Ryan Schmidt, Mark Engblom, Gerard Bogey, Rod Taylor, Tony Atwater and Stephen Whetstine. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. until the time of the service on Tuesday at the funeral home.