OBITUARY: In Memory of Margaret (Peg) B. Schmitt, Knight of the Order of Dannebrog, of Sheffield, Illinois

In Memory of Margaret (Peg) B. Schmitt, K.D., November 17, 1928 – October 1, 2014

Margaret (Peg) B. Schmitt, K.D. (Knight of the Order of Dannebrog), 85, of Sheffield, Illinois, who was instrumental in restoring the historic St. Peter’s Evangelical Danish Lutheran Church in Sheffield, passed away Wednesday, October 1, 2014 at OSF St. Luke Medical Center in Kewanee, Illinois. A funeral Mass celebrating her life was held on Saturday, October 4 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Sheffield, IL with burial at St. Patrick’s Cemetery.

The Danish Pioneer Newspaper staff had the honor of knowing Peg, and she personally gave us a tour of the Sheffield Historical Society and the beautiful St. Peter’s Danish Church, where we were able to attend several of the inspiring annual interdenominational Christmas Services in the unique church, which was built in 1880. St. Peter’s is the oldest Danish church in the USA, located at the corner of Cook and Washington in Sheffield, IL, and Queen Margrethe II and Prince Henrik of Denmark visited the historic church in 1976. Peg was knighted in 1994 by the Queen of Denmark, which is indicative of the “K.D.” (Knight of the Order of Dannebrog) behind her name. This was in recognition of all of Peg’s work in the restoration of the historic Danish Church in Sheffield. Peg was an avid historian and enjoyed genealogy and historical restoration.

Margaret was born on November 17, 1928 in Sheffield, IL, the daughter of John J. and Margaret L. (Kane) Barry. She was united in marriage to Joseph F. Schmitt on September 3, 1951 in St. Patrick’s Church in Sheffield. She was a graduate of Sheffield high School and went on to become a Licensed Practical Nurse. She worked at the Kewanee Public Hospital for several years and then for Dr. O.B. Giltner for many years, from which she retired from. Margaret was a member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church.

She is survived by her husband Joseph; daughters: Mary J. (William) Kopriva, Louisville, KY, Ellen (Chris) Hilmo, Davenport, IA, Jean Schmitt, Sheffield, IL; son: Patrick Schmitt, Princeton, IL; grandchildren: Ben Gerhardt, Lisa Moreland, Nicholas Kopriva, Benjamin Kopriva, Kaitlin Schmitt; great grandchild: Rylin Gerhardt. She was preceded by her brother John and three sisters, Dorothy, Barbara, and Kathleen.

All Honor to Her Memory!

LEARN MORE ABOUT ST. PETER’S DANISH CHURCH AT: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ilshs/

LEARN MORE ABOUT MARGARET (PEG) SCHMITT IN THIS ARTICLE FROM THE BUREAU COUNTY REPUBLICAN: http://www.bcrnews.com/2010/05/18/lady-margaret-and-queen-margrethe/aj8kmbc/?page=1

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