Mary (Schmitt) Pike, age 92, daughter of Balthasar and Bernadina (Schroeder) Schmitt, was born on Feb. 26, 1933, in Menominee, Nebraska, and died on Nov. 14, 2025, at the Good Samaritan Village in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Mary attended school through the eighth grade. She then worked for mothers with newborns taking care of their families. On Aug, 31, 1955, she married Duane Gerald Pike of Yankton, South Dakota, at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Menominee, Nebraska. They made their home in Yankton where their seven children were born.
In 1968 they moved to Luverne, Minnesota. Mary and Duane worked in the family business named Duane’s TV Service from 1970 to 1980. Over the years the name had been changed to New and Used Furniture Store from 1980 to 1995 and when they semi-retired in 1995 they named their business The Brown Church Antiques until they retired in 2010 but continued to stay active in the community.
Mary and Duane loved to travel. In 2010 they moved to an apartment in Luverne. After Duane’s passing in 2016, she moved to Poplar Creek assisted living in Luverne. In 2020 Mary moved to the Good Samaritan Village for skilled nursing in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and to be closer to her family.
She was a member of St. Catherine Catholic Church, where she was active in choir, president of LCCW, quilter since 1988, and Ladies Aid. Mary was active in the religious education program for eight years. She was on the Senior Citizens Board, Senior Dining, and called bingo at Poplar Creek. She enjoyed sewing, playing cards, games and spending time with family. Mary loved to cook and host large gatherings over the holidays.
Grateful for the many years shared with Mary are her seven children, Diane (Mike) Casanova, Eden Prairie, Minnesota; Linda (Stan) Schriock, Mankato, Minnesota: Kathy (James) Hall, Goodlettsville, Tennessee: Keith (Sue) Pike, Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Bryan (Sharon) Pike, Brainerd, Minnesota: Brenda (Doug) Deffenbaugh, Hartford, South Dakota; Sandra Pike, Sioux Falls, South Dakota; 16 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; and her sister Coletta Stratman.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Duane; her parents; three brothers, Julius (Delores), Ralph and Emery (Marcelene) Schmitt; four sisters, infant Agnes, Marcella (Andrew) Kathol, Kathryn (Harold) Kathol, and Annella (Earl) Schulte; and a brother-in-law, Clarence Stratman.
Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 25, at the Dingmann Funeral Home in Luverne and also one hour prior to the service at the church. Funeral mass will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 26, at St. Catherine Catholic Church in Luverne, officiated by Fr. Joshua Miller. Burial will be in the St. Catherine Cemetery in Luverne.
