Juanita Marie Schmidlkofer, 94, a longtime resident of the Verboort community recently of Forest Grove passed away on Sunday July 14, 2019 at her home.

Juanita was born on February 14, 1925 on the Kemper family farm in Verboort. She was the second oldest of four children born to Cecil and Anna (Kemper) Heynderickx. She was raised in Verboort attending Visitation Grade School and Hillsboro High School graduating with the Class of 1943. Following high school she worked at Bird Eyes Food (1944) and in the ship yards in Portland as a welder(Dec 1944 – Aug 1945).

She met her husband, Joseph C. Schmidlkofer at a church function and began dating only about four months before Joe went in the Navy (July 1943) and they continued getting to know each other through their letters and their visits when he came home on leave. They fell in love and when he was home on leave in June 1944 they became engaged.They married on July 17, 1946 at Visitation Church in Verboort presided by Fr Neugebauer. Following their marriage they reside in Corvallis, OR until 1949 when they moved to Roseburg for one year. In 1951 they moved to Verboort where they have lived since. Joe passed away on May 20, 2009.

Juanita was a loving and devoted mother to her eleven children. She enjoyed canning and gardening. She was a seamstress and enjoyed fancy work. She was a big volunteer at her church, Visitation Catholic Church, having been a member all her life. Juanita was also a field boss for her brother. Juanita and Joe traveled abroad including Rome, The Holy Lands, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. She was very close to her grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her loving husband; her parents; her brother, Marvin Heynderickx; and a granddaughter; Rebecca Takiguchi.

She is survived by eleven children and their spouses; Mike and Patty Schmidlkofer of Olympia, WA, Susan and Terry Braukman of Hillsboro, Sharon Takiguchi of Honolulu, HI, Sharlene and Marty Zollner of Bellevue, WA, Bruce and Maria Schmidlkofer of Stayton, Terry Schmidlkofer of Honolulu, HI, Jerry and Mary Schmidlkofer of North Plains, Pat and Jenny Schmidlkofer of Hillsboro, Sandy and Tom Lonergan of Woodburn, Sheila and Tom VanGrunsven of Verboort, Byron and Kathy Schmidlkofer of Verboort; her brother Cecil Heynderickx, sister-in-law Virginia Heynderickx, sister-in-law Ann Schmidlkofer, thirty four grandchildren, forty eight great grandchildren and one great great granddaughter.

 

Remembrances: to Visitation School and Visitation Catholic Cemetery