Betty J. Schmitzer

Betty J. Schmitzer (Kruz) VanderLinden, passed away on the evening of November 12 ready to meet her creator God Almighty.

She was born June 3, 1937 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Due to circumstance Betty’s biological parents were unable to keep her so in 1938 she was adopted by John and Ella VanderLinden. Baptized in the Catholic faith on March 3, 1938.

Betty lived a humble life with her parents, Dad being a paper mill worker for 42 years at Gilbert Paper Mill in Menasha, Wisconsin. Mom was a stay at home provider who only worked a short period of time at a hair pin factory in Menasha prior to her marrying John, July, 1921. Betty was very close to her Dad who was a great trout fisherman. She loved to go with her Dad and sit on the bank of the Wolf river to watch him fish. Betty attended Sacred Heart Catholic School for the first eight years of her life. Ninth grade at McKinley Public and finished her last three years at Appleton High School, now Appleton West. She graduated in 1955 with an education in general business. At one point Betty would have liked to get into Airline Communications, but that did not come to pass. She then decided to take courses that would give an opportunity to work in the business world. So she got her first job at Fox River Knitting Company, where she became a secretary to one of the sales personnel. There she was able to use her abilities in typing, shorthand, and accounting skills. Betty worked in the business world her entire life. She left the Knitting Company for an adventurous job in sunny California as a bookkeeper at Breck and Revlon, which didn’t last long because of an unfortunate pick pocketing mishap. The train got her home, to another bookkeeping job with Menasha Paper cooperation. After she had her son, she worked at the dime store in the Valley Fair Mall. Her last job before retiring was with Appleton Specialty Products, a plastic manufacturing company making products for the wet end of the paper machine. She came out of retirement to work at Bank Mutual, Appleton from 2002-2012.

February 23, 1963, Betty married Nathan Vincent Schmitzer at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Appleton. Their first residence was on Franklin St. Nathan worked at the Appleton Post Crescent as a typesetter. When the company went Digital, he was head of that department until he was forced into retirement because of health issues.

Betty and Nate raised three children, Gregory John, Valerie Joan, and Pamela Jean. They spent much of their time up north– building their cottage, performing water ski shows, and enjoying time in nature. One of Betty’s proudest moments was breaking ground for the Mountain Ambulance service while she was Town Chairperson for two terms.

In her final years she was a beloved member of Emmaus Road Church, a community that frequently showed her the love of Jesus. This is where Betty finally found the peace of the Lord, through a relationship with him and all the congregation of Emmaus Road Church. They became her second family.

Betty is preceded in death by her parents, her former husband Nathan Vincent, two of her children, Valerie Joan and Gregory John, and her great grandson, Jack.

Betty is survived by her daughter Pamela Schmitzer, grandson Ryan Miller, Son-in-Law William Van Stappen, granddaughter Lacey (Van Stappen) Hanson and her husband Curtis, grandson David, granddaughter Amanda (Schmitzer) Savage, great granddaughter Jaiden Knapp, grandson Kyle (Anna) Schmitzer, great grandchildren Wesley and Maddie.

The service will be held on Thursday, November 20 at Emmaus Road Church, 303 N. Oneida St., Appleton. Service begins at 11:00 AM.

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