Clara Regier Schmidt
Obituary
Clara Regier Schmidt, 95, died on Sunday (April 25, 2010) in
Filadelfia, Chaco, Paraguay, South America.
She was born Oct. 30, 1914, to Ben C. and Agatha Andres
Regier in rural Newton.
She graduated from Newton High School and Bethel College in
North Newton. She then entered nurses training and graduated from the Bethel
Deaconess School of Nursing in 1943.
She married Dr. John R. Schmidt in August 1943. Together
they spent many years working in Paraguay under Mennonite Central Committee.
One of the major accomplishments of their work was establishing a leprosy
clinic in Paraguay, known as Kilometer 81.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. John R.
Schmidt, in 2003.
She is survived by eight children and their spouses,
numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Other survivors include her
sister, Anna Harder, with husband Gerhard Harder of rural Whitewater;
sister-in-law Elsie Regier of North Newton; and brother Edwin Regier, with wife
Ella Regier of rural Newton.
Funeral services were on Tuesday in Filadelfia.
A memorial service will be at 3 p.m. May 30 in the
Fellowship Hall of First Mennonite Church in Newton. Memorial gifts may be sent
to Mennonite Central Committee, 21 S. 12th Street, PO Box 500, Akron, PA
17501-0500.
