Violet Lillian Schildan

Violet Lillian (Brede) Schildan was born in Carlos, MN on August 12, 1923 to William and Ulinka (Kuehl) Brede. After a long and fruitful life, Violet passed away on March 26, 2025 in Portland, Oregon at the age of 101. A beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, she is survived by five children, Susan, Donald, Judith, Rodney, and Patricia; two stepchildren, Barbara and Russell, Jr; fourteen grandchildren, and seventeen great-grandchildren.

As a young woman, she and a friend boarded a train and ventured out west to Oregon, where she trained to be a welder. She then worked at the shipyards welding deep inside the hulls of Liberty Ships being built for the war effort. There she met and fell in love with Russell Schildan, whom she was married to until his death in 2002.

Violet was never afraid of hard work. While being a wife and mother, she also babysat for many neighbors and picked berries in the summer to raise money for a yearly vacation with her family. Her love of antiques eventually led her to owning her own antiques business. She instilled the “thrill of the hunt” to her children, who are also in the antiques business. This became her true passion, as she continued to scour thrift stores for treasures until shortly before her death.

Being the matriarch of the family, Violet was truly loved and respected by her entire family. She will be dearly missed.

In lieu of flowers, a donation in her name to a charity of choice would be appreciated by Violet’s family.

A Celebration of Life will take place at Lincoln Memorial Funeral Home on Thursday, April 10, 2025 at 10:00 am. Private family interment will be at Lincoln Memorial Park Cemetery.