Verla Ruth Schmid, age 94, passed away on Thursday, August 4, 2011, at her home in Carmel, Indiana.

Verla was born November 10, 1916 to Charles and Coral (Toseland) Babcock in Crocker, Ind., and moved to Chesterton when she was 9 or 10.

She graduated from Chesterton High School in 1934, and attended Valparaiso University for three years.

Before and during WWII she worked in the NIPSCO office in Chesterton. It was there that she met Frank Schmid when he came in to pay a bill. A year later, on March 8, 1947, they married and settled in Chesterton and raised a family. Frank died in 1980.

She was also preceded in death by her sisters, Eula and Janet.

Her interests included archeology, local botany, Lake Michigan and the beach, and her family.

Verla maintained a home in Chesterton until 2003, when she moved to Carmel. She enjoyed good health all of her life, and until very recently she participated in swimming and other exercise classes and she enjoyed walking.

Verla is survived by her three sons, Frank Michel "Mick" (Easton, Penn.), John Charles (Grayslake, Ill.) and Anton Craig "Tony" (Carmel, Ind.). She also has eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

There will be a graveside memorial at Chesterton Cemetery on Saturday, August 13, 2011 at 11 a.m. Her remains will rest alongside her late husband's.

Arrangements are by White-Love Funeral Home.

Posted 8/8/2011