Melba Jean Schmer

Melba Jean Schmer, age 71, of Yankton passed away unexpectedly at her residence early Thursday, December 26, 2013. Memorial services will be 11:00 AM, Friday, January 3, 2014 at the First United Methodist Church, Yankton, with Rev. Ron Johnson officiating. Burial of cremated remains will take place at a later date. Visitations will be 6 to 8 PM, Thursday evening, January 2, 2014 at the Opsahl-Kostel Funeral Home & Crematory, Yankton, with a Scripture service at 7:00 PM. Visitations will resume one hour prior to the service at the church. Jean was born in Conway Springs, KS on December 5, 1942 to Samuel and Mary Elizabeth (Wolfe) Bechtel. Jean graduated from Conway Springs High School and went on to nursing school at Wichita State University and graduated from Newman School of Nursing in Emporia, KS. She began her 40 year nursing career at Allen County Hospital in Iola, KS. In 1961, Jean married Larry Freeman from Conway Springs, KS. The marriage was blessed with two daughters, Kim and Lanette. Both of the daughters graduated from Iola High School before pursuing careers in communications (Lanette) and nursing (Kim). Kim continued on to obtain her nurse practitioner degree and Lanette obtained her master's degree in sports administration.. During Jean's 40+ years nursing career, she also owned her own business "Flower Village", worked with Dr. Vernon Lee as a patient educator and worked at the Allen County Bank and Trust. In 1989, Jean began working at the North Kansas City Hospital in North Kansas City, MO. She met and married David Schmer on May 5, 1990 in Greenwood County, KS. Her brother (Roger Bechtel) and sister-in-law (Ericka) stood in attendance during the ceremony. In June 1990, Jean and David relocated to Lincoln, NE where they raised David's youngest daughter, Katie. Jean worked in St. Elizabeth Hospital, the Lincoln Surgery Center and the Ear, Nose and Throat Specialty group as a surgical nurse and nursing supervisor before her retirement in 2004. She was an active member of the Association of Operating Room Nurses. After retirement, Jean and David relocated to Yuma, CO before settling in Yankton, SD. Jean is survived by her husband, David of Yankton, daughter Kim Bodemann (Don) of Hot Springs, AR, their children; Claire, Marcus and Isaac; daughter Lanette (Todd) of Hot Springs, AR, their children; Brett and Molly; stepson Christian Hanson (Yulia) of Riverside, IL, their children: Viktoria and Kira, stepdaughter Sara Koehler (Tim); son, Taylor Trumbo, stepdaughter Katie Anderson; her children, Alex Schmer, Ehren Anderson and Lena Anderson, sister Georgia Peterson (Denny) of Milliken, CO, brother Roger Bechtel (Ericka) of Eureka, KS, mother-in-law Helen Schmer of Scottsbluff, NE and many nieces, nephews, aunts and uncles. She was preceded in death by her parents Sammie L and Mary Elizabeth (Wolfe) Bechtel. In lieu of flowers, memorials are requested to the Special Olympic Arkansas at 2114 Main St., No. Little Rock, AR 72115 or Special Olympics South Dakota at 800 E. I-90 Lane, Sioux Falls, SD 57104.