Erna M Schmidtbauer

Erna M. Schmidtbauer, age 77, of Little Falls, MN, passed away Saturday, February 23, 2013, at St. Otto's Care Center in Little Falls. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, February 27th at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Little Falls, MN, with Fr. Nicholas Landsberger officiating. Interment will be in the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery north of Little Falls. Visitation will be held from 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 26, 2013 at Emblom-Brenny Funeral Service in Little Falls with a Christian Mothers Rosary at 5:00 p.m. followed by a parish prayer service at 6:00. Visitation will continue at the church on Wednesday from 9:45-10:30 a.m. Erna Mary Wagner was born on September 1, 1935, Millerville, Minnesota the daughter of Adolph & Helen (Loeffler) Wagner. At the age of seven, Erna moved with her family to the family farm on Lake Latoka near Alexandria. She graduated from Alexandria High School where she was a percussionist and a band majorette. She graduated with the Class of 1953. Following her high school, she continued her education at St. Gabriel's School of Nursing in Little Falls, MN, graduating in 1956. Erna began working at St. Gabriel's Hospital right after nursing school and worked for 42 years. She was united in marriage to William Schmidtbauer on June 28, 1958, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Alexandria, MN. The couple made their home in Little Falls where they raised their three children. Erna enjoyed sewing, gardening, baking and cooking, flowers, and traveling. She was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Little Falls, the St. Mary's Christian Women, Minnesota Nurses Association, and volunteered at St. Otto's. Erna was passionate about her career in health care. She enjoyed caring for the babies and their mothers. She had a special empathy and compassion for people whose health was compromised. Left to cherish her memory are her husband, William of Little Falls, MN; children, David (Susan) Schmidtbauer of White Bear Lake, MN, Suzanne (David) Shearon of Lino Lakes, MN, Sarah (Glenn) Sattizahn of Harrisburg, PA; grandchildren, Kara (Dustin) Hayes, Ryan Schmidtbauer, William Shearon, Louis Shearon, Mary Grace Shearon, Cecilia Shearon, Olivia Sattizahn; great-grandchildren, Ridley and Graham Hayes; brothers, Jerome (Elnora) Wagner of Foley, MN, and Adolph (Jan) Wagner of Alexandria, MN. Erna was preceded in death by her parents; sisters, LaVerne Moline, Verene Wagner and Helen Osterberg and infant brother, Marion Wagner.