Lois Evelyn Schmaltz lived a life filled with hard work, music, art, helping others, and raising a family, all with a dose of humor.

Lois' life began on the family farm November 19, 1929 near Coloma, Michigan.  She was the middle child of three daughters born to Ray and Evelyn (Carter) Krieger.  Lois graduated from Coloma High School and attended Western Michigan University and worked briefly at Saranac Machine Company in Benton Harbor as a secretary.  Soon after, despite not being an outdoors person, she married a local farmer, Alan Schmaltz, who she met at Junior Farm Bureau, helping with the endless chores on the farm, even while pregnant, said her son, Dave, while keeping house and helping raise their two children.  She once said she would lose two inches off her waist each season, and then gain it back in time for next year's crops.  She stayed active in winter by cross country skiing.

In the midst of all this, until recently, Lois spent many years playing the piano and organ, teaching Sunday school, and hosting bible studies for her church families Life Gate Baptist, and prior, St. Paul's United Church of Christ. She also enjoyed watching the concerts at the St. Joseph band shelter and visiting the Lake Michigan beach with her younger sister, Joanne Goodrich, and on her last visit with Dave walked the beach for the last time.  Lois inherited a gift for art, painting landscapes with oils, pastels, and watercolors, from her mother with whom she enjoyed taking art classes and entering art fairs, with Lois doing on-the-spot pastel portraits.

Her family was her world, and she loved sending "care" packages to children and grandchildren. "There wasn't anything she wouldn't do for us" said Dave.

Lois also counted as family her neighbors and friends in the tight-knit farming community of Bainbridge Center in which she lived. In later years, she enjoyed playing Skip Bo with friends, visiting other friends in nursing homes, working in her flower garden, and doting on Baby, her cat pictured with her, which all gave her great satisfaction.

Lois is survived by her only son, Dave, grandchildren Grace and Timothy Lyons, younger sister Joanne (Krieger) Goodrich, nephew Jerry (Sharon) Jollay, nieces Jan (Hess) Wahl and Barbara (Garry) Hess, and many loving friends and relatives.  She was preceded in death by her husband, Alan, only daughter Paula Lyons, granddaughter Brianne Lyons, older sister Shirley (Jollay) Eggermont, brother-and-sister-in-law Grant and Lois (Schmaltz) Hess, and nephew Gary Hess. Lois died at the age of 87 on December 21, 2016 (25 years to the day her husband died) at Woodland Terrace assisted living surrounded by family and friends.

A memorial in her honor will be held on Sunday, May 21, at 12:30 p.m. at Lifegate Baptist Church, 2890 S. Park Road, Eau Claire, MI 49111, with a luncheon following. Memorials may be made in Lois' memory to Lifegate Baptist Church or Hospice at Home.  Hutchins Funeral Home is assisting Lois' family with arrangements and you can leave a message for her family at hutchinsfuneral.com