Family members at Celebration of Life Service for Mary Gann Felin on November 5, 2025.
From left to right: Tim (Lisa's husband); Jennifer Turley (Uncle Donald's daughter); Lisa (Uncle Joe's daughter); Christopher Spreitler (Aunt Sue's son); Aunt Rose; Uncle Donald; Uncle Joe; Beth (Uncle Joe's daughter); David (Beth's husband); Lydia (daughter of Beth and David; David (Uncle Joe's son); Mari'Ellen (David's wife).
Obituary for Mary Helen Felin
In Loving Memory of Mary Felin May 24, 1936 – October 28, 2025
Mary (Gann) Felin, beloved mother, grandmother, educator, and friend, passed away peacefully on October 28, surrounded by love from her family and friends.
Born in 1936, she was raised in Conway, Missouri, a proud Conway Elk. She often joked that she went in one door of the Conway schoolhouse as a first grader and out the other as a graduating senior. Her depression-era childhood was simple and full of love, especially from her parents, John and Ethel Gann, whom she spoke of with great affection all her life. Her education continued at Missouri State University, then Southwest Missouri State College, where she fulfilled her dream of becoming a teacher.
She spent her career as a dedicated educator, shaping the lives of generations of students. Her students knew Mrs. Felin meant what she said, but they also knew they were believed in, supported, and truly loved. Her impact reached far beyond the classroom, and the number of former students who stayed in touch is proof of the deep connection she made with those she taught.
Mary loved sports and was a loyal fan of the Missouri State Lady Bears Basketball team, traveling all over the country on buses and planes to cheer them on. At home, she was never without a cat or two, and her backyard was host to birds, squirrels, raccoons, and the occasional opossum; most of whom she had named, and none ever left her yard hungry.
Her final years were spent at James River Nursing and Rehabilitation Center where she found an extended family in their staff and residents. She became known to all as “Ommy”, a name originally given to her by her granddaughter.
She was a woman of warmth, strength, and a little orneriness. She loved to laugh, and even more so, she loved to make others laugh.
She is survived by her husband, Joe Felin of 64 years, her children, Lisa Ritter (Tim), Beth Berns (David), and David Felin (Mar’Ellen) and her only grandchild, Lydia Berns.
Mary was a teacher to the end, reminding us all to laugh often, love deeply, and find joy in the small things. She will be dearly missed.
A Visitation will be held on Tuesday, November 4, 2025 from 5-7pm at the Herman H. Lohmeyer Funeral Home, 500 E. Walnut in Springfield, Missouri.
Graveside services will be held at 11:00am on Wednesday, November 5, 2025 at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery, 5201 S. Southwood Road in Springfield, Missouri.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests a donation be made to the Foundation for Springfield Public Schools in memory of Mary Felin, this can be indicated either on the check memo line or on the online “Donation Designation” field.
Permanent online condolences, stories and photos may be shared at www.hhlohmeyer.com
Walter Daniel Schmitt 1951 - 2025
Stephanie Abbott Schmitt, daughter of Margaret (Felin) Abbott and Norman V. Abbott, invited me to give the eulogy for her husband Dan. Following is that eulogy:
Thank you all for coming to celebrate the life of this remarkable man, Walter Daniel Schmitt.
Walter Daniel Schmitt, “Dan” to his family and friends, 73, of Troy, MO, passed away on March 5, 2025, at his home while surrounded by his loving family. Through the last months of his illness, his loving wife, Stephanie, rarely left his side. As he needed more intense care, his two sons, Nathan and Jacob, jumped in to help. This family is a living example of love and service.
Dan was born on September 20, 1951, in St. Louis, MO, to Walter Jacob and Jacquelyn Roberta (Meyer) Schmitt. He attended the local schools, along with his two sisters. At age 16 he lost his sight in a hunting accident. He attended a school for the newly blind and was able to return to Fort Zumwalt later the same year. He graduated with his class in 1969. He obtained his associate’s degree, then graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a bachelor’s degree in psychology from UMSL in 1972. Dan showed astonishing fortitude, courage, grit, and intelligence through that tragedy, the difficult adjustment to living without sight, and his subsequent success in college.
On October 17, 1981, after a four-month courtship, Dan was united in marriage with Stephanie (Abbott). Stephanie is my niece, her late mother, Margaret, my sister. From the beginning Dan was accepted and loved by all our family. To this union were born three children, Jessica, Nathan and Jacob.
Jack, his four-legged companion, was a huge part of Dan’s life. He and Stephanie loved all animals, big and small. Dan could be described by his family and friends as strong, kind, energetic, easy going, accepting, capable, and determined. He was funny, strong-willed, intelligent, opinionated, wise beyond his years, and he never let anything stop him. And he was a whiz at playing Monopoly. He was an amazing husband, father, son, grandfather, and friend. And I would add, nephew. Dan was truly a Gentle Man.
Catrina, Dan’s sister-in-law, wrote eloquently about him: “Dan has been my big brother for 44 years. He taught me to whistle. He taught me to read braille. He taught me how to put a minnow on a hook. He taught me that being a prayer warrior and ceaselessly praying was the greatest thing you can do for someone. He taught me that to laugh was everything, and his laugh was the best! He taught me that to truly see something or someone, not to look just with my eyes. He taught me that just because someone has what the world calls a handicap doesn’t mean they are disabled. Dan, one of the greatest cooks I’ve known. Dan, the lover of music and, gosh, could he sing!. Dan, the reader who read everything. Dan, the best husband who knew how to love his woman.”
I knew Dan as a man of deep faith, a faith he shared with his wife, his daughter, his two sons and his broader world. Dan got his faith the hard way; he earned it. His was a life visited by tragedy--blinded at 16 in a hunting accident, father to first-born Jessica who was plagued by health issues from birth to her death at age 4 1/2, and a loving caregiver to his wife when she went through her own bout with cancer. I don’t believe Dan’s faith wavered even when he knew his time with us was growing short.
It's a strange fact that the people who possess the deepest and most enduring faith and love for others are often those whose lives have been visited and upended by tragedy, tragedy they overcame to claim a new broader, more full-filling, joyful life. Dan and Stef have taught me that strange fact time and again. There is one emotion that is a clear signal we are on the right path, that emotion is joy. Dan was on the right path, and I trust still is.
Rose F. Holt
3/11/25
Maudie FELLIN Obituary
In retirement, Maudie took over driving the fifth wheel on their many adventures across the United States. They spent winters in Arizona to see the grandchildren and in Missouri to see family, but always returned home in time for spring planting and getting steers to keep the grass down and provide home-grown beef for the family. Each Fall, the family gathered at the family farm to celebrate the harvest. This was a treasured tradition that lasted more than 40 years without fail. After Bernie passed in 2007 Maudie spent most of her time volunteering with the Moran Prairie Grange, blood bank, quilting group, Ladies Aid, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and driving her friends to AARP meetings. It took a stroke in 2013 to finally start slowing her down. She still attendedmost of her community meetings for as long as she was able, but had to give most of those up as she slowed down more and more. In June of 2023 she was diagnosed with cancer and as was her way, she chose to fight it. Her mind stayed sharp until the end. She is preceded in death by her son Randy, her daughter Shirley, her husband Bernie, her brother James and sister, Wilma. She is survived by her sister Vivian; her five daughters and four sons: Anna Fellin, Sandi Witkowski (Tim), Kaye Peterson (Mike), Tammy Fellin (Richard), Cyndi Langston (David), Steve Fellin (Pamela), Doug Fellin (Cecile), Glenn Fellin, Mike Fellin, 20 grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-granddaughter and many nieces and nephews. A Catholic Mass and memorial service will be held in her honor on Friday, October 20, 2023 at 11:00 AM at St. Peter's Parish 3520 E. 18th Ave, Spokane, WA 99223. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in her name to The Moran Prairie Grange #161 P.O. Box 31502, Spokane, WA 99223.
Published by Spokesman-Review on Oct. 8, 2023.
Nancy wrote "The Life of John Leo ('Pete') Felin" for delivery at her father's funeral mass"
The life of John Leo “Pete” Felin
A difficult task it is to try and sum up the life of such a remarkable man as Pete in a few short paragraphs. All of us who had the good fortune to have known him can agree that he was a humble gentleman who didn’t like the spot light shined in his direction! What we can also agree on is that Pete never met a stranger, so enjoyed a good conversation over a cup of coffee or a beer and always showed a deep interest in the stories of others. He made friends easily everywhere he went. This proved especially true in his last year of life living at Lincoln Court Retirement Center. He embraced his fellow residents with gusto and they all returned the sentiments.
Throughout his life, Pete never turned down an opportunity to jump in and help anyone who asked for assistance – especially his family. He was ever eager to lend a hand or a tool at any hour, open his door for anyone, offer a ride, help solve a problem, repair some equipment, or find a way to ease someone’s troubles. Pete was a life-long learner always interested in the latest technology, politics, current events, the economy and investment strategies. Oh, and the weather – always the weather. He was brilliant in McGuyvering solutions to fix things and very rarely had to hire a repairman or mechanic. No one enjoyed a good true crime story or gangster story as much as he did. The Kansas City Chiefs and Boise State Bronco teams gained a fan in heaven as he will still be cheering for them from above.
Born in 1936 in Marshfield, Missouri, Pete’s upbringing in the Missouri Ozarks could read like a novel. Think “Where the Red Fern Grows”. A middle child of 8, he spent hours fishing for catfish in the creek that ran through their property. Often, his catch was the only thing his mother and sometimes their neighbors had for dinner. He sold packets of seeds to earn money and purchased a BB gun which he used to shoot snakes earning a bounty for pocket money that he then used to shoot pool and help with some of his family’s expenses. It seems that even in his youngest years, he had an enterprising spirit. Pete loved telling stories of the imaginations he and his older brothers played out. One particular memory that would get him laughing hard was recalling their times pretending to be the infamous Jesse James Gang. They had an old pony they would use as their get away and tried to make it jump off a bluff with them on it’s back. The pony wasn’t amused at the game and refused to cooperate.
While colorful and full of love, Pete’s childhood was anything but carefree. At the age of 9, he lost his father to a sudden heart attack. His mother was left with 8 children, 5 of whom were under the age of 10. There were always more mouths to feed than there was food. When Pete was just 14 years old, he had an opportunity to join an electric line construction crew when they came through the Marshfield area building new lines. With his mother’s blessing and surely broken heart, Pete said goodbye to his family and began his career working as a lineman. He signed on as an unskilled grunt of sorts.
He could in no time climb a pole in record speed. After a few months, He realized the crew members were secretly placing bets on how many he would climb in a day. It was always an impressive number and far more than any one else on the line! His teen years were spent working with his crews all over the Midwest and the Rockies, learning the trade, making deep friendships in every burg and igniting his love for travel. He could recall the names of every town and every area he worked in. Oh, the stories he had to tell of that long, hard and often lonesome time! His favorite thing in those years was when he would occasionally have time off to return home for a visit. His younger siblings considered him almost a mythical hero and delighted in riding to town with him in his shiny car.
At the age of 21, he met Janet, his wife of nearly 61 years, while temporarily based in Walsenburg, CO. The tale is that she and her roommate showed up at his front door to return a pan that they said they had borrowed from Pete and his roommate. Since the guys didn’t even own a pan, very flattered though he was, Pete knew well that their beautiful courtship began under dubious circumstances. They were married at St. Mary Catholic Church in 1957. Pete earned his journeyman lineman certification shortly after that, and their son, Kelly, was born the following year. When Pete was hired by the City of Idaho Falls Electric Department as a crew supervisor, they relocated to Janet’s hometown, where their daughters, Nancy and Merri, were born shortly thereafter. Janet and Pete always said they had triplets the hard way with their 3 children born so closely together. When the children were pre-school age, Pete went to work for Utah Power and Light Company and spend the rest of his career working in the Shelley District, first as a trouble shooter for many years, and finally as the operations manager. His job was dangerous and physical work in the most terrible weather conditions but he never complained saying it was his duty to do the job and he was happy he could. He considered his co-workers to be his closest friends and they looked out for each other like family.
When the children were small, Pete and Janet purchased a lot at Palisades, Idaho, that boasted the most beautiful lake views. What it didn’t have was a road, a house, a well, a sewer or electricity. Ever the visionary and very industrious worker, Pete with the help of family and friends built a lovely summer home that the family and countless others enjoyed for over a decade. Summer weekends were spent fishing, boating during the day and around the fire and deck in the evenings with all the neighbors eating homemade ice cream and singing folk songs accompanied by Janet on her ukulele.
Pete could always be counted on to be entertaining and was adventurous to the core. When his brother-in-law sent him a parachute that he had obtained in the army, Pete became an original para-sailor long before that was a thing.
He could be seen pulled with a boat flying all over the lake while just hanging on to the ropes without a harness. Crowds would form along the highway as unbelieving spectators stopped to watch and gawk.
In the winters, the family enjoyed weekends on the ski slopes surrounded by many friends. Pete, while learning the skill himself, taught all 3 kids to ski. He found a way to afford this expensive sport for the family by availing himself to the resort owner, a personal friend. He offered to install the lights used for night skiing at Kelly Canyon and Taylor Mountain in exchange for season passes. When on the slopes after dark, the kids could point to the lights with pride knowing they were their dad’s handiwork.
Tired of living in town, Janet and Pete desired to return to their farm roots and in 1970 moved the family to the New Sweden area west of Idaho Falls. There the family raised a huge garden and every imaginable type of farm animal supplying the family with meat and home-grown eggs and dairy products. They produced crops of potatoes, wheat, and alfalfa and also built a commercial hog operation. That alone was impressive but it seemed herculean that Pete maintained his more than full time job at the power company at the same time as owning the farm. Needless to say, Janet and the 3 children played a big role in its success. In 1980 after their kids were grown and gone, they sold the farm and moved to a smaller place near Gem Lake where they continued to have a big garden but fewer animals. In 1988 Pete partnered with his younger brother and purchased a business that manufactured power line electric switch gears and insulators. This became a very lucrative endeavor.
Pete had the great fortune to retire from Utah Power at the age of 55. He and Janet then packed up their RV and began their many adventures all over the US, parts of Mexico and Central America eventually buying a place in Quartzite, AZ. They spent many lovely winters among friends at their happy place in the desert, coming back home when the snow melted to spend their summers in Idaho. One of the best things about their Arizona location was the proximity to Nevada. Pete’s gambling luck was the envy of many! Only Janet was more successful in their winnings. They never bet more than they could comfortably lose and perhaps that was the key to their success. After Janet passed 4 years ago, Pete continued his trips to Vegas, Wendover and Jackpot with family and friends but much of the luster was lost in the experience without his partner-in-crime by his side.
Pete lived a life with much sacrifice and hard work yet the glass was always half full and never half empty for him. He was such a character with the best sense of humor and sharp wit! We will all be using Pete-ism the rest of our lives as we invite people to “rest their face and hands”. The stories about his many antics will be remembered and talked about at every family gathering. Who could forget that he was once featured on Paul Harvey’s national broadcast for diverting electricity to the tent of his and his hunting buddies during an arctic blast. A county deputy sent to make a welfare check found them all toasty warm in their underwear playing cards in 30 below weather while an electric heater blazed away. That story and many more will keep us smiling as we remember his ingenuity. Pete absolutely delighted in the accomplishments and adventures of his children and grandchildren. Some of their best memories were being all together with Grandma and Grandpa having sleepovers, playing games, celebrating holidays, camping and going on family trips with them. Pete had a special relationship with each of them and if asked, each would say that he or she was his favorite! Family meant everything to Pete and he meant everything to us.
Below is the link to Brother Pete's life in photos. https://www.tributeslides.com/tributes/show/84Z7G9GY492DLX8P
Obituary for John ("Pete") Felin:
https://www.woodfuneralhome.com/obituary/John-Felin
LAKE HOUSE PHOTOS
Any of you who has visited the lake house Sue had built in 1983 knows that she turned the place into a gallery for photos of family and friends. Scott and Beth, Sue's son and daughter-in-law who now own the house, recently took down the collection spanning almost 40 years. They digitized the photos and have made them accessible online. Here is the link:
https://www.amazon.com/photos/groups/share/SsLv37-lRJWHm9b1FiuzNA.zghunl4gTbl6kymZzy3nLf
If you have any difficulty accessing them, please let me know (rosefholt@gmail.com).
Thank you, Scott and Beth! You have preserved and made available a history that is precious to many!
Rose
