Obituary of Lillian Schmidtka

Lillian Grace Schmidtka, 91, a lifelong resident of Cazenovia went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Sunday, November 6, 2016. Born in Canastota, the oldest child of the late John and Gertrude Wright Bruinsma, Lillian graduated from Cazenovia High School in 1944. She was a homemaker and caretaker; Lillian took great care in raising her children and once they were grown, used her time in ministering to the needs of her church and people around her. Lillian was very artistic and loved to paint. She also enjoyed building and decorating doll houses. Lillian was predeceased by a son, Burt John Schmidtka, who died in 1981; her husband, LeGrand Burt Schmidtka, who died in 1994; a daughter, Susan Schmidtka, who died in 2011; her siblings, Wayne Bruinsma, Betty Jane Bruinsma, Francis Bruinsma, Clifford Bruinsma-who died in the Korean War and Marion Dixon Cochran. Lillian is survived by her children, Nancy (Russell) Collins, Dick Schmidtka, Eric (Janet) Schmidtka all of Cazenovia and Pam (Tom) Crouch of Erieville; her siblings, James (Nancy) Bruinsma, Roy (Patti) Bruinsma, Rebecca Knoepfli, Dorothy (Bob) Grover and John Bruinsma; 16 grandchildren, David, Jennifer, Rebecca, Tim, Matt, Emily, Sarah, Audra, Erin, Nathan, Rachel, Ashleigh, Jason, Ryan, Jessica and Rachel; 12 great grandchildren; one great, great grandson as well as several nieces and nephews. Calling hours are 4 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, November 9, 2016 at Michael E. Brown Funeral Services, 2333 Fenner Rd., Cazenovia. Funeral Services will be held 11 a.m., Thursday, November 10th at Fenner Community Church, corner of Nelson and Bingley Roads, Fenner. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Cazenovia. Contributions in memory of Mrs. Schmidtka may be made to the Rescue Mission Alliance of Syracuse, 155 Gifford St., Syracuse, NY 13202 or to Hospice of C.N.Y., 990 Seventh North St., Liverpool, NY 13088.