Mickie Schmudlach

MADISON
Mickie, wife of Tony and mother of Michael, Kevin, Coleen, Keith and Andy died on August 11, 2012 at Agrace Hospice Center in Fitchburg, Wisconsin after battling ovarian cancer. Mickie (Patricia Ann McMahon) was born on November 15, 1935, in Chicago, the older of two daughters of Catherine (Rogers) and Pat McMahon.

Mickie attended parochial and public schools in Chicago graduating 8th grade from Our Lady of Bethlehem Academy in LaGrange, IL. In 1953, she graduated from Montello High School, Montello, WI.

Mickie and Tony (Maynard Gilbert) Schmudlach were married on June 16, 1956 at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church in Madison, WI. Mickie graduated from Madison General School of Nursing in 1956 where she established life-long friendships. She continued her education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison earning a Bachelor of Nursing with honors in 1971 and a Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction in 1978.

Mickie began her nursing career at Madison General Hospital in Madison, WI. Then in 1966, she began teaching at Madison Area Technical College, first in the Practical Nursing Program, and then in the Associate Degree Nursing Program. She was one of the developers of the MATC Registered Nursing program. Mickie retired from teaching at Madison Area Technical College in December of 1994. After her retirement from teaching, she was oldest registered nurse ever hired at St. Mary's when she took a job working in the Labor and Delivery suites for five years. For a year, she assisted a nurse midwife friend with a home birth service.

Mickie was a member of the American Nurses Association and served on the Board of Directors of the Madison District Nurses Associations for several terms. She was a member of Sigma Theta Tau, International Honor Society of Nursing and served on the Board of Directors of the Beta Eta Chapter for six years.

Mickie was involved in her community - President of the Longfellow School PTA; worked diligently for the South Side Hockey Association, the Lake Wingra Community Council and the Neighborhood House; served on the Fitchburg Serenity Club Board of Directors; worked as a volunteer tutor at Thoreau Elementary School from 1999 to 2001. She organized the first (University of Wisconsin Hockey) Blue Line Club picnic. She worked with a group of health care professionals and volunteers to establish the Blue Bus VD Clinic for treating sexually transmitted diseases. The first night the Blue Bus VD Clinic opened in Madison, Mickie was the nurse on duty.

Mickie was also very active in the Madison Area Technical College Teacher's Union Local 243 and served several terms on the Union Forum and many committees. She was the chairperson of the teachers' union bargaining team for the 1979 to 1981 contract.

Mickie had many passions and was indifferent about little, but her greatest love was for her husband, Tony and her children and grandchildren. Tony and Mickie also extended their love to their godchildren, Paco, Miguil and Sarahi, who live at an orphanage in Cuernavacca, Mexico. Mickie's circle of friends was all-inclusive and she was admired by all for her wisdom, and the love she shared with them.

Mickie is survived by her husband of 56 years, Tony, her sons Michael of Brooklyn, WI, Keith (Cindy Pack) of Madison, WI, and Andrew (Andy) of Madison, WI and her grandchildren Anthony, Jeffrey and Katlin Q in Madison, Andrew, in South Bend, IN, Wade and Wyatt in Lakeland, FL and her step-grandchildren, Michael, Matthew and Jamie Ausman and Chelci Olson. Her sister Mary Donlan, nephew Hugh Donlan, niece Ann Kelly and daughter-in-law Wendy Schmudlach also survive her.

She was preceded in death by Coleen, her daughter in December 1994 and Kevin, her son in December 2011.

A Funeral Service will be held at 2:00 pm on Sunday, August 19, 2012 at HOLY WISDOM MONASTERY (Formerly St. Benedict Center) 4200 County Highway M, Middleton, WI. A visitation will take place from 12:00 pm until the time of the service, with a luncheon following the service at Holy Widsom Monastery.