Louise was a person of great faith, which she shared with those around her. She loved to serve, both in church callings and in her daily life. Her life was characterized by determination and courage.
Louise Nelly Puenzieux was born May 11, 1917 to Charles Auguste and Louise Lucie Zingg Puenzieux in Lausanne, Switzerland, the fifth of six children. She died in Logan, Utah on July 30, 2018.
Her parents owned a family business growing plants and vegetables to sell in the open air markets. All the children worked very hard each day to prepare the push-carts (and later small pick-up trucks). Her father was the first to own a small truck to make the work much easier. Louise loved school but was unable to fulfill her dreams of a college education in her youth. Instead, she entered an apprenticeship making fur coats.
Her family had joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints before she was born. From the time she was very young she held many Church callings, playing the hymns inSundaySchool at age 14. As a faithful member, she wanted a temple marriage. Since Europe had no temples at the time and the closest temple was in Salt Lake City, she dreamed of emigrating to the United States. She secured a position as a governess in Boston in early 1940 and left on the last passenger ship to leave Europe after the beginning of World War II.
While she was in Boston, she corresponded with A. Edward Schmidt from Granger, Utah who had served as a missionary in Lausanne. He moved to Boston and they courted during the fall and winter of 1940-41. They were married on April 11, 1941 in the Salt Lake Temple and started their family in Boston.
Louise and Ed finished raising their six children in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was finally able to go back to school at BYU in 1973 and was awarded a Bachelor's degree in Education. She taught French, German, English and Journalism for 10 years.
In retirement, she and Ed served three missions. Two were on French-speaking islands in the Indian Ocean, Reunion and Mauritius, and a third mission in French Guiana in South America.
Louise was preceded in death by her husband, parents and four sisters; Nelly, Edmee, Yvonne and Margaret, one brother; Charles, and two great-grandchildren, Hannah Clayson and Nate Jaramillo. She is survived by her six children, Allen (Ginette), Christine (Steve), Sandy (Ted), Kathy (Stephen), Norman (Aissa), and Dan (Nan) and over 50 descendents.
Funeral services will be held in the LDS chapel at 135 ‘A' Street, Salt Lake City, Utah onSaturday, August 11, 2018 at 12:00 Noon.Viewing will be before the service starting at10:00 am
