Gudrun “Goodie” Schmitz

Gudrun “Goodie” Schmitz, 77, of Brainerd, passed away Monday, February 27, 2023, at Essentia Health - St. Joseph’s Medical Center.

A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 11:00 a.m., Monday, March 6, 2023, at St. Andrew’s Catholic Church in Brainerd. Family and friends are invited to gather one hour prior to Mass on Monday and Sunday afternoon from 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. at Nelson - Doran Funeral Home. Interment will take place at St. Mathias Parish Cemetery.

Goodie was born November 4, 1945, in St. Paul. She is the daughter of Bjarne and Helen (Voracek) Amundsen. After graduating from high school and college, she married Peter Schmitz. The couple was blessed with six children, and she devoted her life to being a mom and grandma. Goodie was incredibly active in the community and was instrumental in the formation and growth of Northern Orthopedics. She was a member of the Brainerd Service League, Pacer Puppets (for child abuse education), Girl and Boy Scout Leader, and helped at Sharing Bread whenever she was able. Goodie and her husband also made numerous trips to Peru to bring orthopedic medical assistance to the area as well as multiple mission trips volunteering in Haiti.

Goodie’s faith was at the forefront of her life, and she enjoyed being active in her church community. She taught religious education at St. Andrew’s Catholic Church, was an eucharistic minister at St. Andrew’s and St. Joseph’s Medical Center and sang in the choir. She also had a passion for health and completed both the full and half Grandma’s Marathons in Duluth, finished the Birkebeiner and Kortelopet Cross Country Ski Races in Hayward, WI.

She will be dearly missed by her husband of 55 years, Dr. Peter Schmitz; children, Beth Schmitz, Amy (Mark Lelwica), Mark (Jennifer) Schmitz, Fr. Michael Schmitz, Sarah (Tanner Lundy), and Matthew Schmitz; grandchildren, Max, Heidi, and Alex Lelwica; Madison (Brendan) Zielanski; Molly, Maryn, and Samuel Schmitz; and Sophia, Katherine, Clare, Lucy, and James Lundy; great-granddaughter, Everleigh Zielanski; and brother, Tim Amundsen. She was preceded in death by her parents and brothers, Forrest and Tom.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the family.

Arrangements are being completed by Nelson-Doran Funeral Home, Brainerd.