Ordean P. Schmidt

Ordean "Schmidty" Schmidt, age 96 of Glenwood, died Thursday, June 15, 2023 at the Glacial Ridge Hospital in Glenwood. A memorial service will be held on Thursday, June 29th at 11:00 a.m. at Glenwood Lutheran Church. For those unable to attend the service in person, it will be livestreamed on the church's website, glenwoodlutheran.com. Visitation will be Wednesday, June 28th from 5:00-7:30 p.m. at the Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home in Glenwood and will continue one hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday. Inurnment will be at a later date in the Glenwood Lutheran Cemetery. Arrangements are with Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home in Glenwood. 

Ordean Philip Schmidt, the son of Philip and Amalie (Frank) was born on April 26, 1927, on the family farm located in Posen Township near Wood Lake, MN. He was the ninth of 12 children, including eight brothers and three sisters. He was baptized May 22, 1927, and confirmed May 5, 1940, at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Posen Township, where he also attended school through the eighth grade. During his first year at Wood Lake high school in 1941, members of his family contracted polio requiring Ordean and his siblings to quit school and quarantine on the family farm.

Ordean was inducted into the United States Army on April 26, 1946, and served until his honorable discharge on April 28, 1947. While in the Army, he served as a truck driver during the occupation of Japan immediately following World War II and received a World War II Victory Medal.

Ordean was united in marriage to Boneta Belle Ekfelt on July 1, 1950, at the Congregational Church in Belview, and they remained happily married for nearly 73 years. Ordean and Bonnie made their home on a farm in Posen Township where they raised five children: Joy, Jenee, Sheri, Melanie, and Randy. In 1989, they retired from farming and moved to Glenwood, where they continued to reside until Ordean’s death.

Ordean loved farming his whole life. Even in retirement, as recently as last year at the age of 95, he would frequently drive two hours back to Wood Lake to check on crops and inquire about yields during harvest. He was an avid fisherman throughout his life and was named a guide for the Governor’s Fishing Opener group in 1992. He also really enjoyed bowling and in April 1994 bowled a 733 actual series to help win the doubles event at the Garden Center’s annual bowling tournament in Alexandria. During retirement, he also took up golf and enjoyed nearly daily rounds with his friends at the Minnewaska Golf Club where “Schmidty” was best known for putting his ball onto the green from almost anywhere on the course. He made his only hole-in -one in October 2006 on hole #13 at Shamrock Golf Course in Corcoran while playing with his son, Randy. He was an active member of the community during his life with memberships in the Wood Lake American Legion and Honor Guard, St. John’s Lutheran Church of Wood Lake, Cottonwood Co-op Oil Co. - Cenex Board of Directors, Glenwood VFW and Honor Guard, and Glenwood Lutheran Church. He will be remembered fondly by his friends as someone who loved to laugh and was always willing to share a good story.

Ordean is survived by his wife, Boneta; daughters, Joy (Jarvis) Munsch of Savage, Jenee Schmidt of Glenwood, Sheri Anderson of Edina, Melanie Brown of West Des Moines, IA; son, Randall Schmidt of Alexandria; grandchildren, Andrew and Jackie Munsch, Aaron Anderson, and Ashley Brown; five great-grandchildren; brother, Edward Schmidt of Edina, and sister, Joann Willhite of Hastings.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Arnold, Arthur, Martin, Leroy, Loren, Vernon, Philip, Jr., and sisters, Hilda Preuss and Olena Jorgenson.

Ordean will be remembered by his family as a loving husband, father, and grandfather. When he was asked recently what he considered to be his greatest accomplishment in life, he quickly responded “Raising my family with my wife Bonnie.” We will miss him dearly!

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.