Meredith Ann (Hall) Schmidt

On March 17, 2024, Meredith Schmidt painted the heavens with her gracious spirit, reuniting with her husband Jeffrey, who was the love of her life.

Born in Detroit, Michigan to William and Irene Hall, Micki, as she was known to family and friends, gained her love of travel at a very young age as the daughter of a Lt. Colonel in the US Army. She spent her formative years in France embracing a country that imprinted so much of its culture on her and guided her artistic journey throughout her lifetime. She loved fine French food, wine, and anything fleur de lis, as evident by the fleur de lis ankle tattoo she got at the age of 60.

In 1965, she married her best friend, Jeffrey Schmidt. A few years later they moved to St. Joseph, Michigan where he began his dental practice, and they welcomed two daughters, Christine and Jennifer.

A voracious reader, Meredith thrived on learning new things and expanding her knowledge about the world around her. She established her artistic skills as an interior designer and enjoyed selling and creating ads for the local radio station, WSJM. In 1985, the same year her oldest daughter graduated from high school, Micki graduated from Lake Michigan College’s School of Nursing. She went on to have an illustrious healthcare career, taking on many roles at Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center as a cardiac nurse, homecare nurse, homecare administrator, and physician recruiter. She touched so many lives with her caring spirit and helped to build the healthcare community throughout Southwest Michigan.

But where Meredith really flourished was in her art studio, Atelier M, at The Box Factory for the Arts. Never afraid to try something new, she dabbled in just about every medium and earned a Certificate in Painting from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. However, her bright and energetic personality really came through when she painted her favorite flowers in oil. Even now in her absence, you can’t help but feel joy whenever you look at her paintings.

Community service was very important to Meredith, and she led by example as president of the Women’s Service League for many years and as the first board member of the ARS Art & Culture Center. She adored her friends and spent many years laughing and learning with them as they gathered for book, needlepoint, and dinner clubs.

Meredith leaves a legacy of elegance and grace to her daughters, Christine (John) Thome and Jennifer (Deidre East) Schmidt, and her sister, Sandra (Barry) Schultz. As grandparents, Nonee and Papa enjoyed creating memories and sharing their love of travel to Alaska, Up North, Chicago and New York with their grandchildren, Jessica (Ryan), Jack (Ann), Hallie, Hannah, Matthew, and River. G-Nonee, as she referred to herself, was so in love with her great grandchildren, Mackenzie and Jude, and we know she will continue to be a guiding angel in all our lives, including those of her many cousins, nieces, and nephews, whom she adored.

In honor of Meredith, we encourage you to wear your favorite cheetah-print clothing, brush on some bright pink lipstick, give a compliment to a stranger to make them smile, and tell your friends and family how much you love and appreciate them. It’s what she did every single day.

A celebration of Meredith’s life will be held this summer. If you would like to make a donation in her honor, we suggest the ARS Art & Culture Center, 147 Fifth St, Benton Harbor, MI 49022 or The Box Factory for the Arts, 1101 Broad Street, St. Joseph, MI 49085.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Meredith Ann (Hall) Schmidt, please visit our floral store.