Estella Schmidt, age 92 of Helena

Click Here to view Estalla’s Service on Facebook Live beginning at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, December 18th

There will be a graveside service for Estella L. Schmidt on Friday December 18^th at 1:00 pm at The Sunset Memorial Gardens in the Helena Valley. Masks and social distancing are requested for anyone attending, and everyone is welcome who would like to come to pay their respects to mom and the family.

Estella L. Schmidt was born on December 29, 1927 in El Paso, Texas to Ernestina and Esteban Lassich, and was one of 6 children. Her sisters and brothers were Gloria Lassich, Frances Chestnut, Esteban (Steve) Lassich, Ernesto Lassich and Herman Lassich.

Estella was smart as a whip and graduated from her high school in just two years, which was quite a feat considering that English was her second language. Her heritage was Mexican, and she could speak both English and Spanish. When working at the PX, the post exchange in El Paso, she met Clifford Main where he was stationed in the Army. They were both out roller skating and dad used his friend’s name instead of his own. It was a great story we loved to hear, about him using the name of his friend Charles Larsen (who actually existed) instead of his own name.  Mom did not go out with servicemen because of their reputations. She was a good girl through and through. She wanted nothing to do with those guys. And mom was beautiful. Many have seen her wedding picture in Cliff’s Jewelry, and she was stunning! Steve always told us that he felt sorry for the other boys as he had gotten the most beautiful mother available. So you can see how this story goes, Clifford and Estella did fall in love and were married the summer of 1947.  Something Mom and dad loved to do was play Pinochle and have pinochle parties with their friends. In these Pinochle Challenges we saw a side of our parents we didn’t often see as they shouted and threw down their cards in triumph!  They had such fun.  Clifford and Estella had 5 children, Clifford, Valerie, Claudia, Steve, and Estella. They raised their 5 children in Clancy Montana, where Mom worked for the State of Montana Legal offices in Helena and Dad built up his jewelry store business, with a lot of help from Mom. This business survives to this day. Many would remember Cliff’s Jewelry on Main Street, now relocated to Prospect Ave, which is  owned and operated by her daughter, Estella and her husband Berk Conrad. Cliff and Estella had been married for 36 years when our dad, Clifford, passed away on April 15^th 1983.

Estella was a widow for 7 years after this, but then she met Leonard Schmidt. As Grandpa Leonard would say, “You don’t say! “They were married from 1990 until 2010 and Mom got her lifelong dream of having her own cook. Leonard was a wonderful cook and loving presence in all our lives.  Estella and Leonard made their home together in the Helena Valley throughout their marriage. Five years after Leonard’s passing, Estella went for a short time to live with her daughter, Valerie Johnson, in Washington state. She quickly became homesick for Montana, so she returned to Helena.  Mom had a series of health challenges including a heart attack, a quadruple bypass and a stroke. All of which brought her ultimately to The Legacy which was her last home. While at Hunter’s Point Mom was quite happy socializing and besting anyone she could talk into playing a game of Scrabble with her, her favorite game.

Estella was an avid knitter and crocheter. She quilted and she sewed. She loved crafts of all kinds and gave to her girls the love of these wonderful hobbies.   Above all, Estella was a great mom. She taught me how to embroider and crochet when I was only 6 years old, sitting in the hospital due to Rheumatic Fever, bored to tears. This has given me the lifelong enjoyment of these crafts.

From Clifford and Estella’s love and commitment as just 2 people, there were added 5 souls, who also made commitments and from this came a total of 10 souls working together. From these 10 souls 20 grandchildren arrived for Clifford and Estella. From those 20 grandchildren, 39 more souls were brought into the world, bringing us to a total of 64 souls brought into the world through 2 people.  If you are one of those 64 people, you know what a wonderful heritage you have in this family. Mom was all about family, and not just her immediate family but all her nieces and nephews and many friends who also love her dearly and she loved them.

I believe as her children each one of us would say that Mom fiercely loved us and would do anything for us. She demonstrated her love through action and many, many prayers for us throughout her life. Mom also fiercely loved and followed God and passed her strong faith to us all, even when we did not particularly want anything to do with it. We see now — It is a strong fort to run to.  We know Mom is safely home now. As one of her grandsons, Dustin said, “Grandma has been waiting all her life to meet Jesus and now she finally gets to.”

We consider ourselves richly blessed to be her children and to have had her with us for the 92 years she lived. We never really expected mom to die, even though she kept warning us she could at any minute if we didn’t remember to give her credit or praise when it was due.  “You know I won’t always be here,” she would say. But she would also say “You know I’m not dead yet,” when we were making plans and she thought she was not included. Mom just has  always been here for us but now she is not and we feel the loss so keenly. Thank you, mom, for all the love and the memories and the lessons and the connections. You have molded us into who we are today and because of this, YOU are still a force through the generations. We love you. We will always miss you.

Estella was preceded in death by her husband, Cliff Main, her husband, Leonard Schmidt, her brother Esteban,  and her sisters Gloria and Frances. Her parents also preceded her in death, Ernestina and Esteban Lassich and her grandson Joe Burdick. She is survived by her five children, her 19 grandchildren and 39 great grandchildren, as well as her brothers Ernesto and Herman Lassich, and many nieces and nephews, scattered across America. Until we met again, Mom.        We Love you.

Service Schedule

Graveside Service

1:00 .m.

Friday December 18, 2020

Sunset Memorial Gardens Cemetery

Helena, Montana 59602

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