Coleen Schmidt

Coleen Fae Mensink, 81, of Rochester, died Nov. 11, 2015, at Seasons Hospice in Rochester. She was born in Cresco, Iowa Sept. 22, 1934 to Edward Mensink and Marion Broadwater Mensink. Coleens mother died when she was 5 yrs old.From ages 5 to 8 she lived with her aunts, uncles and grandparents.At age 8, she and sister Marlys were given a home with foster parents Howard and Celia Wesselink. Coleen graduated from Wykoff, MN High School.After graduating, she went to work as a ward secretary on the Polio Ward at Saint Marys Hospital. On April 24, 1954 she married Marvin F. Schmidt.They lived in Spring Valley, MN until 1962 when they moved to Rochester when Marvin started working at IBM.They both enjoyed camping with their children and visiting state parks.Coleen worked as a secretary at Longfellow Elementary School until she became a caregiver for her husband.In later years she worked at Rennings Flowers. The joys of her life were her husband, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.She enjoyed going to the family cabin with them and creating life-long memories.She loved singing and sang in choirs - Rochester Symphony and Chorale, Harold Cooke Chorale, Bethel Lutheran Choir, and musicals.Music was always uplifting to her. She is survived by her two daughters Jane Schmidt Braley, and Janet (Joseph) Meilander; and two sons David (Lucy Destro) Schmidt, and John (Kim Kaehler) Schmidt; eight grandchildren; two great step-grandchildren;sister Marlys Nagel; foster brother Floyd Wesselink; step-mother Iona Mensink; half-brothers Robert Mensink, Steven Mensink, Jeff Mensink; and half-sister Rebecca Meyer.She was preceded in death by her husband Marvin, son-in-law Mike Braley, parents and grandparents. There will be a Memorial Service on Friday, November 27, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. at Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Homes with the Reverend Anjanette Bandel officiatingVisitation will be one hour prior to the service at Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Homes. Memorials may be directed to Seasons Hospice, MS Research, Bethel Lutheran Music Fund. Ranfranz & Vine Funeral Homes 5421 Royal Place NW Rochester, MN55901 507-289-3600 www.ranfranzandvinefh.com