Louise M. Schmidt, 99, of Moorhead, MN, passed away on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, in Eventide on Eighth, Moorhead.
Louise Marie Leiseth was born on December 14, 1926, on the family farmstead in Rustad, MN, the fourth child of Olaus and Hilda Leiseth. She joined her older brother Ole and sisters Helen and Lillian as another set of hands on the farm. Louise loved watching clouds drift by, riding the cows, and lying on top of the silo, soaking in the quiet beauty around her, preferring it over farm work. In time, her younger brothers Alfred and Einar completed the family.
On December 11, 1949, Louise married Henry (Heinie) Schmidt, and together they settled in Moorhead to begin their life as husband and wife. They welcomed five children—Dianne, Karen, Fred, Tom, and Mike—and built the home on 5th Street where countless memories would be made. That home became the heart of the family: Christmas Eve sleepovers, weekend suppers (always with burgers on Saturdays), and endless card games filled its walls.
Louise was a giver, a helper, and a doer, always busy with one project or another. A talented and generous cook, she was well known for her egg salad, her beloved Rice Krispie bars and so many other family favorites. Creativity came naturally to her; she poured it into quilting, hardanger embroidery, cross-stitch, crochet, sewing, and even a little painting. There was rarely a problem she couldn’t solve with a little creativity and patience.
After Heinie passed in February 1996, Louise continued to live independently on 5th Street, tending to her yard and maintaining her home with pride. In 2010, she moved to Eventide Assisted Living, later transitioning to the nursing home in 2016 following a fall. She lived there, bringing smiles and laughs to staff and fellow residents, until her passing
Throughout her life, Louise devoted herself to what mattered most: her family. She raised her children, worked alongside her three sons at McDonald’s, watched them begin families of their own, and embraced her new role as grandmother with her whole heart. Her grandchildren were her pride and joy. She spent many hours in the bleachers at baseball, softball, football, and hockey games, traveled to tournaments, and cared for each of them in her own quiet, steady, dependable way.
Louise was preceded in death by Heinie, parents, Olaus and Hilda, siblings, Ole (Beatrice), Lillian (Harlan) Aldrich, Helen (Kenneth) Krabbenhoft, and Alfred Leiseth. She is survived by her brother, Einar (Rita) Leiseth and sister-in-law Mary Leiseth; daughters, Dianne and Karen; sons, Fred (Deb), Tom (Pennie), and Mike (Tammy); grandchildren, Andy (Jeanette), Jill (Peter) Bolken, Bryan (Lisa), Aaron Dressel, Rachel (Connor) Florey, Hailey (Andrew Miller) Thornton, Casie (Bryce) Johnson, Gabe, and Paige (Kaylynn Noyd); and great-grandchildren, Maleah and Elijah Schmidt, Piper and Cole Schmidt, Emmary Bolken, Kenzie, Finley and Maverick Miller, and Chloe and Lillian Florey.
A life of 99 years, 3 months, and 18 days is no small blessing, and Louise filled each of those days with love, loyalty, and quiet strength. Her legacy lives on in the family she cherished so deeply.
A Visitation for Louise will begin Thursday, April 9, 2026, at 10:00 AM followed by her Funeral Service at 11:00 AM in The Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, Moorhead. She will be laid to rest in Moorhead, Memorial Gardens, Moorhead.
(Korsmo Funeral and Cremation Service, Moorhead, MN)
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