Margaret Elaine Schmidt

Margaret Elaine Schmidt, age 92, (known as Elaine) passed away peacefully at her home in Greeley, Colorado, surrounded by her devoted family.

Born on March 6, 1933, in Newton, Kansas, Elaine was the eldest of five children of Pete and Mabel Shellenberger. Her early years were spent in Hesston, Kansas before the family settled in Buhler, Kansas, where her father took a position as Principal of Buhler Grade School. Elaine graduated from Buhler Rural High School in 1951, where she shone as a cheerleader, homecoming queen, and a passionate participant in music and drama.

Elaine pursued her love of music at Bethel College in Newton, earning her degree in Music Education in 1955. It was there she met her lifelong partner, Donald Schmidt. They were married for 69 years and raised two children, Carol and Mark.

Elaine began her career as a music educator and later gave private piano lessons from home while raising her children. When Don decided to pursue graduate work in Mathematics at Iowa State University, they moved to Ames, Iowa, where Carol and Mark were born. After Don received his PhD, he took a job at in the Mathematics Department at Colorado State College (later known as University of Northern Colorado (UNC)) in Greeley, CO. During this time, a neighbor encouraged Elaine to attend an anti-Vietnam war meeting. This meeting inspired Elaine to not only join the anti-war movement but became a leader in struggles for peace and justice.

Elaine joined a newly formed chapter of Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF). She chaired the local group for years, as well as serving on the National Board, focusing on issues such as civil rights, nuclear disarmament, and justice for farm workers. She was introduced to a staff member of the American Friends Service committee (AFSC) and became activity involved in AFCS including participating in a humanitarian mission to Iraq.

A tireless advocate for human rights, she joined Jose Calderon, Teresa McNeill, Jesse Solis, and other Latino activists working on immigration, welfare, and civil rights in and around the Greeley community. Elaine received many rewards for her peace and justice activism including the AFSC Jack Gore Memorial Peace Award and was featured in the Greeley Tribune Panorama section as an unsung hero.

After her children graduated, she worked at the UNC library. Her thirst for knowledge and justice led her to earn a master’s degree in Peace and Justice through UNC’s Anthropology Department.

Her passion for cultural understanding began in college, when she welcomed international students into her family’s home for Sunday dinners—a tradition that reflected her lifelong commitment to hospitality and connection. The UNC International Student Association thanked her for her tireless effort to making them feel at home.

Elaine’s love of travel took her across the globe, where she and her husband delighted in learning about different cultures and attending operas in renowned venues, blending her musical roots with her curiosity about the world.

Elaine was known for her joyful spirit, infectious optimism, and unwavering positivity—even after her cancer diagnosis, she remained hopeful and cheerful.

Elaine is survived by her beloved husband, Don Schmidt; her children, Carol Schmidt and Mark Schmidt; her brother, Robert Shellenberger; and her sisters, Mariellen Griffith and Joyce Thiessen-Barrett.

Her legacy lives on in the lives she touched, the causes she championed, and the music she shared. She will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered.