Obituary: Schmelzer, Maedeane
Fortunately, she did not suffer too long.
She was with her longtime friend, Eleanor Jones and her daughter, Carol, at the time of death.
Maedeane attended Grant Elementary School as a child and moved on to Lewis and Clark High School where she committed herself to the yearbook.
Following high school, Maedeane attended Washington State College.
There she met the love of her life, Chuck Schmelzer.
They developed their relationship and planned for their future.
World War II got in their way as Chuck entered the Navy.
Meanwhile Maedeane worked for the telephone company here in Spokane.
During this time the two were married in the mid-west.
They had some time together in San Diego before Dad shipped out.
Following the war, they settled here in Spokane and began a family.
Maedeane was a homemaker for several years.
Then, when Carol started school, Mom went to college to finish her degree in education.
She told our Dad she would go to work only if she could get the house cleaned each week.
Enter Bernice!
After graduating, Maedeane got her first job at Grant Elementary School followed by several years at Franklin School.
She finished her career teaching at Hamblen Elementary School.
Following Maedeane’s retirement, she and Dad traveled and played golf.
She loved her involvement in P.E.O.
and her church, Heritage Congregational.
Alzheimer ‘s disease hit Mom hard.
Following Chuck’s death in 2009, Maedeane was moved into a special unit at Riverview Retirement Center where she stayed until her death.
She was surrounded by loving, caring, professional people: they took care of her every need as her brain diminished in capacity.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Chuck; her sister Billie Allison and brother-in-law Howard Allison.
Maedeane never got over the loss of Chuck.
Maedeane is survived by her son Tom and his wife Jeri Schmelzer; their sons, Todd and his wife Becky and their two daughters, Brennah and Alyssa; Mark Schmelzer, and Kelli Schmelzer and her fiancĂŠ Nels Reno, and their son Bently.
Maedeane is also survived by her daughter Carol Shope, her son, Chris Waltman and Amanda Kyle, and their two sons, India and Orion.
Mom will be missed by all of us.
She and Dad were great parents!
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made to Second Harvest Food Bank.
There will be a family graveside inurnment on Saturday, April 13th.
Maedeane’s Memorial Service will be at 2:00PM Sunday, April 14 at the Southside Community Center on 27th Ave and Ray Street.