Mildred (Mimi) Ruediger Schmidt, 92, of Hermann passed away Saturday, October 18, 2014, surrounded by loving family and friends. 

Visitation will be held from 4-8 pm on Thursday, October 23, at Toedtmann and Grosse Funeral Home.  Funeral services will be at 11 am, Friday, October 24, at St. Paul United Church of Christ.  

Mimi was the only child of Lillie and Connie Ruediger.  Born in 1922, she attended the Hermann Public Schools.  Her musical education began early in life, under the supervision of her father Connie, a pianist and member of various musical groups in Hermann.  Mimi studied music in a St. Louis conservatory where she received her teaching degree. She taught vocal music in the local high school, opened a music studio where she taught generations of pianists and directed the St. Paul Mixed Choir for a decade. 

In 1945, Mimi married Dr. Joseph Schmidt, optometrist and musician, and together they pursued their musical interests. Dr. Schmidt directed the local chapter of S.P.E.B.S.Q.S.A. (men's barber shoppers) and Mimi directed the Harmonettes (women's ensemble).  They produced ten years of shows, and brought in state and national quartettes to appear on the Hermann stage.  

In 1952, the Schmidt's were members of the planning committee that pioneered the first Maifest, and initiated the successful tourism industry in Hermann.  The Schmidts were charter members of Historic Hermann, Inc., serving on the board for many years.  They saw a need for tourist information, so they manned the first tourist booth in front of their home.  Later, recognizing the need for tourist housing, Mimi opened her home as one of Hermann's first B&Bs. She served as chairwoman for the Hermann B&B Committee for many years, encouraging and supporting many other Hermann residents as they opened their own B&Bs. 

The Schmidt's shared a passion for the historic preservation of Hermann properties. They bought and restored the Schroeder Violin Workshop on East Hill, and opened it to the public on the Hermann House Tours, another project they helped to organize.  The Schmidts collaborated on historic preservation articles which were published in a number of national magazines. Once established, the local preservation group Historic Hermann, Inc., had lofty preservation goals, but no funding. Never one to let a challenge stall her ideas, Mimi put together a musical show in the city park Rotunda, eventually donating twenty years of funds from these shows to Historic Hermann, Inc., for preservation of both the German School and the Rotunda.  

Mimi and Dr. Schmidt worked on the development of the Hermann Area District Hospital (HADH) for nine years.  Mimi was co-chair of the financial committee when they raised $75,000 on one historic "Hospital Sunday." Those local funds were matched by the federal government, making the HADH dream a reality.

In the 1960s, Mimi went from "Bach to Stock" when she became one of a handful of women stockbrokers across the country.  After Dr. Schmidt's near fatal car accident in 1982, Mimi became a licensed REALTOR® so she could work in Hermann. She managed her husband's care following his car accident for 16 years.  

In 1984, the local Showboat Theatre was donated to Historic Hermann by Jim Dierburg. Mimi promptly put together the first board of directors, and directed theatre shows for the Showboat for over two decades, donating much of the proceeds to the preservation of the property.

Mimi's recent community endeavors included the campaign to keep the Gasconade County Courthouse in Hermann and chairing the Helping Hands Committee to raise funds for HADH.  She was a member of the St. Paul United Church of Christ, Hermann Chamber of Commerce and Historic Hermann, Inc. 

Mimi received numerous awards of recognition for her generous and lengthy commitment to civic work including: the Distinguished Citizen Award from the Jaycees; Muse of the Arts Award from the Hermann Chamber of Commerce; Outstanding Citizen Award from the Herman Chamber of Commerce; recognition from the Showboat Theatre; the Rotunda Show Cast; and Historic Hermann, Inc. She was recently nominated for the statewide Art Hero Award by the Hermann Arts Council.

Mimi always said she had three loves in her life; her family, her music and her town. She spent a lifetime passionately supporting all three.  

Mimi will be greatly missed by her two children, Jeff (Janice) Schmidt of Hermann and Connie (Jim) Loveless of Columbia; four grand-children, Eric (Nikki) Schmidt of Chesterfield, Kari (Justin) Marcos of St. Peters, Sara (Mark) Mueller of Columbia, and Laura Loveless of Chicago; six great-grandchildren; and countless other family and friends. 

Memorial donations are suggested to Historic Hermann, Inc. and St. Paul United Church of Christ.

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