DONNIA K.  SCHMIDT , 72, of rural Meriden, Iowa, passed away Wednesday morning, December 18 ^th at Mercy One Hospital in Sioux City, Iowa following a brief illness.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, December 23 ^rd , at 11 a.m. at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Cherokee, Iowa. Pastor Jonathan Riggert will officiate. Burial will be in the Liberty Township Cemetery, rural Meriden, Iowa. There will be a family prayer service at 10:45 a.m. at the church on Monday. Visitation will be on Sunday, December 22 ^nd from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. with the family present from 3 p.m. until 5 p.m. at the Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee, Iowa. Online condolences can be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com

Donnia was born on August 16, 1947 at Primghar, Iowa to Emil & Leona (Behrens) Petersen. She graduated from Paullina High School in 1967. She was married to Dean C. Schmidt on January 18, 1969 at the Zion Lutheran Church in Paullina, Iowa. She had worked at Hawley-Allison's Clothing Store in Cherokee and for Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn Schools as a cook at the Cleghorn building. Donnia enjoyed cooking and baking and was well known for her beef roasts. She loved spending time with her family, especially the grandchildren and attending all of their activities.

Donnia was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church, Ladies Aide, and was an active volunteer in the church food pantry program.

She was preceded in death by her parents Emil and Leona Petersen, her in-laws Melvin and Alice Schmidt, her husband Dean Schmidt on August 17, 2019, brother-in-law Doyle Ames, sister-in-law Jan Petersen, and great nephew Cameron Fabritz.

She is survived by her two daughters: Deb (Dave) Merten of Storm Lake, Iowa; Darcy (Brad) Wurth of LeMars, Iowa; four grandchildren: Austin and Dylan Wurth of LeMars, Iowa, Logan and Jenna Merten of Storm Lake, Iowa; her brother Marvin Petersen of Paullina, Iowa; her sister Marylis Petersen of Paullina, Iowa; her twin brother Denny (Lori) Petersen of Des Moines, Iowa; sister-in-law Phyllis Ames of Meriden, Iowa;. She is also survived by several nieces and nephews, as well as many friends.