Roberta Zieske writes: Prior to the birth of her grandaughter Connie, Pearl moved to Sunnyside, Washington to live with her daughter Patricia. She lived in Sunnyside from 1952 until her death in 1958. According to the Smith Funeral Home Death Record and Memorandum, Mrs. Pearl Schmidt lived at 907 South 16th Street in Sunnyside.
Pearl died on the Northern Pacific train on Thursday, August 28, 1958 enroute from Helena, Montana to Sunnyside, Washington. My parents and aunt Pat met the train in Mabton a small town about five miles from Sunnyside. They were informed of Pearl's demise and told they would have to arrange for an ambulance or funeral home to intercept the train in order to take her from the train.
Smith Funeral home met the train in Toppenish, Washington approximately fifteen miles west of Sunnyside. Pearl was taken to the Toppenish Hospital where she was pronounced DOA and released to Hap (Oris) Smith. Pearl laid in the slumber room at Smith's Funeral Home until 6:00 pm on Saturday; many people from her church stopped in. Smith's Funeral Home took Pearl to Prosser where she was placed on at train at 3:25 am Sunday morning; she arrived in Helena that evening at 6:45 pm.
Interestingly, in order to ship a body by rail, the railroad charged a Railway Fare of $41.92. The standard service and casket $875.00 tax $15.72, shipping case $35.00, telegram $1.71, and Yakima Herold $5.75 for a total of $975.10 paid in full by Patricia Schmidt on September 5, 1958. Pearl religious affiliation was Lutheran. However, she joined the Seventh Day Adventist church in Sunnyside. Her occupation was homemaker.
Roberta Zieske provided the following description of her grandmother:
Miss Pearl Viola Cassidy of Minneapolis, Minnesota was not only a lovely lady but she was an adventuresome one as well. Born and raised in Minneapolis Pearl was a city girl working as a stenographer. Pearl's best friend Emma Lee was engaged to a gentleman in Helena, Montana. Early in 1910, Pearl decided to accompany Emma to Helena, as part of the wedding party. The two young ladies set out to travel the 1,000 miles on a Northern Pacific passenger train.
While in Helena, Pearl met the dashing Charles D. Schmidt. In the course of events, Emma changed her mind and called off her engagement. Following a whirlwind courtship Charles decided to accompany Pearl and her friend Emma back to Minneapolis.
One June 22, 1910 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Charles D. Schmidt and Pearl V. Cassidy were united in Holy Matrimony by the Lutheran Pastor, Luther B. Deck. The marriage certificate indicates that Pearl's best friend Emma Lee and George Cassidy, Pearl's brother stood up as their witness. Mr. And Mrs. Charles Schmidt then returned to Helena where they began their life together in the Wild! Wild! West!, Helena, Montana. Charles was employed as a Superintendent at the Chessman Dam and Pearl found herself at home in a small community of families whose men folk were working on the Chessman Dam, which held back waters to form the Chessman Reservoir.
It wasn't long before Pearl discovered she was in "the family way". Residing so far away from town and the nearest doctor did not prove to be a problem in the first few months of her pregnancy; but as her date approached Pearl decided to stay with a family closer to town. May 28, 1911, Charles Oliver Schmidt (Ollie) entered the world as the eldest son of Charles and Pearl Schmidt.
History repeated itself when on December 17, 1913, Kenneth Daniel Schmidt joined his older brother Ollie. By this time Charles and Pearl decided they wanted a home of their own and Charles began building the family a home at ten mile out in the Remini.
Aline Pearl Schmidt christened the new home with her arrival on Feb 18, 1915, joining her brothers Ollie and Kenny. Three children under five! I have a feeling Pearl had her hands full, especially without electricity or running water.
As the family grew so did the need for larger living accommodations. The Schmidt family moved into their home on Broadwater some time before the birth of their second daughter Bernice Viola Schmidt who arrived July 8, 1916.
The two-story granite house had five rooms upstairs, six rooms on the main floor, and five rooms in the basement, on ten acres of open land; just the right size to raise and nurture a family of five boys and three girls.
There is a nice family picture of Pearl Cassidy Schmidt taken just prior to deployment of her five sons to various branches of the Armed Forces during World War II. Ollie the eldest served in the Army Air Corps, Kenny served in the Navy, Edward served in the Seabees, Byron served in the Army and the youngest son Bob served in the Marines. The following excerpt was taken from an article printed in the Helena Independent Record:
No Arguments in Schmidt Family On Service Corps "There will be no arguments in the Charles D. Schmidt family now as to the best branch in Uncle Sam's armed forces. Reason is that three of five sons of Mr. And Mrs. Schmidt who reside in the Broadwater addition west of Helena have been called, all within five days, for service, but each one to a different branch."
Miraculously all five of the Schmidt boys and Aline's husband Vic Conway of the Air Force returned home from their tour of duty during those horrendous years of WWII . To my knowledge none were wounded in battle but the horrific experiences, the sights, sounds and smells were not soon forgotten.
Bobby, the youngest suffered nightmares from "hell" for many years after returning home. My mother, Bernice said she remembers many a time that her brother Bobby came charging out of bed, yelling and screaming reliving a horrible incident from the war. While stationed abroad Bobby fell victim to the ravages of malaria. He suffered periodic re-occurrences throughout his life. One wonders if perhaps his continuing battle with malaria was a contributing factor in the despondency that resulted in his suicide?
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