Joann Yenson Schmidt

Joann Yenson Schmidt, age 81 Years, of Chesterfield, Missouri passed away on Monday, December 12, 2022 following a valiant 2+ year fight against Leukemia. She was born in Carbondale, Pennsylvania on September 4, 1941 to Edmund and Mary Yenson (nee Pierzga).

Joann is survived by her beloved husband, Bernie Schmidt; sons, Chris Schmidt and Joe Schmidt; grandchildren, Mikayla Schmidt and Colton Schmidt; sisters, Carolyn (Dave) Doi and Evelyn Day; brother, Chuck Yenson; brothers-in-law, Richard Schmidt and Edward (Wendy) Schmidt; and a host of other family members and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Edmund and Mary Yenson.

A graduate of SUNY Delhi in Delhi, New York, Joann began the first of several occupations at the Scintilla Magneto Division (Bendix Electrical Components Division) in Sidney, New York. This particular career choice proved to be most auspicious, as it was there that she met her beloved Bernie, who would go on to become her soulmate for over 60 years. Following her time there, she moved on to the Sidney Public Library, the Miami Oil Company in Troy, Ohio, and finally to Mark Andy, Inc. in Chesterfield, Missouri where she worked as a receptionist. It was there that she stayed for over 25 years, and endeared herself to foreign and domestic customers as "the voice of Mark Andy".

Joann also gave generously of her time through volunteer work, most notably as a teacher's aide at Sidney Central School, at the Ascension Knights of Columbus Council 11139 Ladies Auxiliary where she served one term as President, and at Wings of Hope in Chesterfield, Missouri, where she spent hours hand making bows of various sizes and themes, as well as table center pieces for several yearly events held in the hangar. She also served as Silent Auction Table Captain at the Wings of Hope Annual Galas.

Joann's contribution of time and talents to the Ladies Auxiliary did not go unnoticed however, as Joann was honored as "Lady of the Year" for her work by the Missouri State Council of the Knights of Columbus. This prestigious award was presented to her in recognition of her role in Ascension Council 11139 Ladies Auxiliary 2011-2012, at the Missouri Knights of Columbus State Convention in Jefferson City, Missouri.

Joann was also an adventurous traveler. She and Bernie enjoyed tent camping in Adirondack Mountain State Park, including on St. Sacrament Island in Lake George that was reachable only by boat. They visited various Eastern and Western coastal areas to be with siblings, and visited several National Parks, including Yosemite, Yellowstone, and Arches. Joann spent time traveling to Canada as well, and visited the Canadian Rockies as well as Quebec and Montreal. Trips abroad were also something Joann enjoyed, especially vacations to Rome, Italy, and Krakow and Warsaw, Poland. She and Bernie loved taking cruises too, including excursions to the Greek Isles and Turkey, stopping in Santorini, Mary's Home in Ephesus, Athens, and the Acropolis. They also toured the Baltic Sea on a Viking Cruise, and visited St. Petersburg, Russia, Berlin, Germany, as well as various port cities in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, among others.

When she was not traveling or working, Joann could often be found immersed in craft making. She was accomplished in needlepoint, decoupage, macramé, decorative bow making, and decorative centerpiece making. Most of all however, she enjoyed working with artificial flowers creating beautiful floral arrangements. This would be the case, in fact, even when she was not the owner of said flowers, as it was often observed that if there was a stem of artificial flowers or a pre-made floral arrangement anywhere within her grasp, she would start "tweaking" it to meet her individual taste. This was known to happen in the flower department of Hobby Lobby or Michaels, regardless of whether or not she intended to purchase the item.

Most of all however, Joann cherished the time spent with her family. She was a treasured wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend to many. She was deeply loved, and will be greatly missed by all who knew her.

Visitation will be held on Friday, January 27, 2023 from 9-10 A.M. at Ascension Catholic Church in Chesterfield followed by a Funeral Mass at 10:00 A.M. A light luncheon will be served in the Parish Hall immediately following the Mass. A private urn placement will take place at a later date at Holy Cross Cemetery.


Memorial contributions may be made in Joann's honor to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and to Wings of Hope in Chesterfield.


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