MENDOTA – On April 6, 2025, Norma Jean Schultz, 78, got her wings and went to walk with the angels after a hard fought 10-year battle with breast cancer. She passed peacefully surrounded by her four daughters.

The funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 12 at the First United Methodist Church in Mendota with Pastor Mary Bohall officiating. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. until the time of the service at the church. Graveside burial service will follow at the Union Cemetery in Ohio, Ill.

She was born on Jan. 31, 1947, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to Vernon and Elvira (Simoens) Schmidt and lived on a farm near Watkins, Iowa. She graduated from Norway High School in Norway, Iowa, and later moved to Mendota.

Norma was the proud mother of four daughters, nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren (with another on the way). All her children were proud to call her mom and she was lovingly known as “Mema” by all of her grandchildren.

Norma is survived by her four daughters, Kim (Tim) Kennedy of Mendota, Stacy (Jimmy) Walter of Texas, Rachel (Dan) Schlipmann of Normal and Krista (Shane) Byers of Tiskilwa; nine grandchildren, Ashlyn (Michael) Uhen, Paxton (Lillian) Kennedy, Jaime (Kersten) Walter, Jessica (Austin) Callison, Rolen and Dane Schlipmann, Maci, Brady and Zoey Byers; and three great-grandchildren, Aubrey Callison, Wells Uhen and Jameson Walter; her sister, Linda Rotter of Walford, Iowa; father of her children, John Hansen; and many nieces and nephews.

She was a loving wife for 31 years to Arlen Schultz. They were married on July 2, 1983. He passed away on March 5, 2014. She was also preceded in death by her parents.

While living in Mendota, she worked for General Telephone Co. as a telephone operator as well as Sam’s Steak House and Doden Silo Company. After moving to Ohio, Ill., she worked as a part-time bookkeeper for Schultz Trucking and later worked for Mendota Community Hospital as the front desk receptionist and retired from there in 2011.

She was very involved with her children's activities throughout their youth, being a room mother, school board member and many other roles. She also was an avid volunteer at the Mendota Hospital Gift Shop and a member of the First United Methodist Church in Mendota.

She enjoyed attending all her grandchildren’s activities, never missing their sporting events, band concerts and school programs. Her favorite thing to do was spend time with her family. She loved to host all of the family holidays and gatherings and always cooked up quite a feast. She loved to bake and was well known for her sugar cookies and angel food cake. Family was the most important treasure in her life.

She will be forever loved and missed. She was always full of sparkle – inside and out – and left a little bit wherever she went. We will always cherish her memory.

Memorials in Norma's memory may be directed to First United Methodist Church of Mendota or OSF Saint Paul Medical Center in Mendota. Please visit www.horner-merritt.com.