Reta Schmidt —————— § —————— July 17, 1946 - September 8, 2024 Reta Ann (Denzin) Schmidt was born in Medford, Wis., on July 17, 1946. She went to a one-room school house, played in the hay loft and graduated from Slinger High School in 1964. After graduation, she visited Phoenix, Ariz., worked for Motorola as a key punch operator and committed to returning some day. Reta traveled to Fairbanks, Alaska, in 1977, to visit her parents, met Gordon Schmidt and married on May 25, 1978. Work prompted a move to Anchorage, Alaska, in 1979. Reta subsequently made a career change to become a full time foster parent for infants and toddlers; changing diapers became a way of life. Reta embraced life. She raised four children. She did foster care. She supported the Anchorage Foster Care Association. She took freshman math at University of Alaska Anchorage and received the highest grade in the class. She was on the Alter Guild at Beautiful Savior and Amazing Grace Lutheran churches. She went to Florence, Italy, and while Gordon worked, Reta explored. This pre-dated smart phones, the euro and a common American-Italian understanding that "latte" meant a coffee drink. That visit confirmed a love for travel and a love for Italy. Reta was in Arizona planning an August camping trip to the Mogollon Rim and figuring out what to pack for an October trip to England when life intervened. She was diagnosed with inoperable stage 4 glioblastoma. Reta went home for hospice care and passed away on Sept. 8, 2024, surrounded by family. She peacefully left the challenges and troubles of this world, to go to glory in Heaven. Reta is survived by her husband of 46 years, Gordon Robert Schmidt; children, Christopher Michael Villarreal (Karyn), Jennifer Lynn Villarreal and Kyong Hee Green (Dan); grandchildren, Jordan, Cameron and Cooper Villarreal, Olivia and Amelia Green and Robert Stott; one brother; three sisters; and nieces, nephews and many good friends. She is preceded in death by her parents, Harold and Delores Denzin; daughter, Michelle Satrina-Lea Schmidt; grandchild, Isaac Daniel Green; and sister, Kay Brehmer. Please consider donating to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, stjude.org, in Reta's memory. A Celebration of Life will be held in Arizona on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, at 2:30 p.m., at Cross of Glory Lutheran Church, 10111 W. Jomax Road, Peoria AZ 85383. A Celebration of Life will also be held in Alaska on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024, at 6:30 p.m., at the Huffman Campus of Rabbit Creek Church, 12100 Old Seward Highway, Anchorage, AK 99515.