Shirley Louise Schmidt (Née, Cook)

Shirley Louise Schmidt (née, Cook)

Austin, TX - Shirley Louise Schmidt (née, Cook), age 91, of Austin, TX, passed away on November 16, 2019. Shirley was born in 1928 to Ralph and Florence Cook in New Castle, PA.

After graduating from New Castle High School, Shirley attended Penn State University where she graduated with a Bachelor degree in Home Economics in 1950. She was a member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority.

Shirley married Alan Neil Schmidt on July 7, 1951 in New Castle, PA.

Shirley and her growing family lived in Newberry, SC; Canton, NC; Oak Park, IL; Metuchen, NJ; Glen Ellyn, IL and Appleton, WI.

After 27 years in Appleton, WI, Shirley and her husband, Alan, moved to Horseshoe Bay, TX in 1992. In Horseshoe Bay she was active in various bridge groups and golf, as well as generally enjoying all that central Texas has to offer. In 2009 Shirley moved to Longhorn Village in Austin, TX where she was active in bridge, Wii bowling, bingo and group outings.

For much of her life Shirley was devoted to raising her two sons and daughter as well as being an avid bridge player, thespian, camper, interior designer and gardener. In addition, she loved to sew and snow ski.

Shirley was preceded in death by her mother and father and her husband Alan and is survived by son Mark Schmidt, his wife Barbara of Marietta, GA, granddaughter Krista Schmidt Serafin, her husband Matt and great-grandsons Bennett and Grayson of Marietta, GA, grandson Eric Schmidt and his wife Brielle of Canton, GA; son Robert Schmidt, his wife Penny of Austin, TX, grandson Neil, his wife Johanna and great-granddaughters Frida and Wren of Austin, TX and granddaughter Emily Schmidt Copeland, her husband Zach and great-granddaughter Claire of Dallas, TX; daughter Karen Schmidt Brantingham, her husband Dan, and grandson Nathan of Scott AFB, IL.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at Longhorn Village, Austin, TX at 10:00 am on January 25, 2020.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Heart to Heart Hospice Foundation at https://www.htohhfoundation.org/ , which was enormously helpful during her final year with us.