Friday, April 20, 2018

Jean Schmidt Thompson Longfellow (April 17, 2018)

Jean Schmidt Thompson Longfellow, 93 of Greenville, Ohio, passed away April 17, 2018 at Brethren Retirement Community under “State of the Heart” Hospice care. She was born July 2, 1924 near Lightsville (north of Greenville, OH) the daughter of the late Cornelius Lake Schmidt and Vernie Esther (Van Scoyk) Schmidt.

She is preceded in death by: First husband, AV “Soap” Thompson; Second husband James Richard “Dick” Longfellow; Brothers: Floyd Schmidt, Charles Schmidt, Cornelius “Trappy” Schmidt, Marvin “Bob” Schmidt, and James “Bimmy” Schmidt; Sisters: Hazel Frye, Mildred Lane, Wanda Hunt, Mabel Mae Schmidt, June Bergman, Doris Nestor, and Lee Cline.

She is survived by: Daughter: Randa Thompson (Gary) Snyder of Arcanum, OH; Grandson: Kyle Snyder of Cincinnati, OH; Granddaughter: Kelly (Dominic) Ragucci of Charleston, SC; Great-granddaughters: Isabella and Sophia Ragucci of Charleston, SC; Sister: Ruth (Larry) Welbaum of Arcanum, OH; Numerous nieces and nephews

Jean graduated from Greenville High School in 1942 and worked as part of the war effort at Dayton Racquet in Arcanum, Ohio. She married Sgt. A.V. Thompson on May 8, 1943 and moved to Homestead Air Force Base in Florida where she worked for the War Food Administration as an office manager. After her beloved husband’s tragic death on July 12, 1945, Jean returned to Greenville to raise her daughter, Randa, who was born 4 months later. A widowed mother, Jean dedicated her life to being the best mother she could be, a goal everyone who knew her agrees she accomplished.

Jean worked for her brother, Floyd, at Schmidt Furniture and Appliances for many years in sales, bookkeeping, and office management.

Jean married her second husband, Richard “Dick” Longfellow on Oct. 1, 1968. She and Dick spent much of their time creating happy memories while being an integral part of their grandchildren’s lives.

She enjoyed trips to Canada to fish for big northern pike. Jean also enjoyed cooking, gardening, crossword puzzles, craft projects with her grandchildren, watching the Patriots and Buckeyes, and attending monthly high school alumni luncheons. She has been a member of the EUM Church in Greenville since 1945.

Services will be held on Saturday April 21, 2018 at 10:00 AM at Zechar Bailey Funeral Home, Greenville, Ohio with Pastor Don Smith officiating. Burial will follow in Greenville Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM on Friday April 20, 2018 at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Wayne Healthcare Foundation to the ER Department because of the care she received from them during her cardiac arrest and the their treatment which gave her 21 more years to enjoy her life and family.

Condolences for the family may be expressed through www.zecharbailey.com