Ronald “Ronnie” Sigmund Schmitz

Ronald “Ronnie” Sigmund Schmitz, age 85 of rural Belle Plaine died peacefully surrounded by
family at his home on November 21st, 2025. Memorial Mass will be at 10:30a.m. on Friday,
December 19, 2025 at Our Lady of the Prairie Catholic Church in Belle Plaine. Fr. Michael
Kaluza will officiate. Visitation will be from 4-7p.m. on Thursday the 18 th at the Kolden Funeral
Home in Belle Plaine. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the Mass on Friday morning at
the church. A luncheon will be served in church social hall after Mass. Interment will be at a
later date.
Ronald Sigmund Schmitz born November 27th, 1939 in Belle Plaine township to parents
Clarence and Josephine (Gansen) Schmitz. Ronnie graduated from Belle Plaine High School in
1957 and served his country in the Army Reserves. He married Shirley Tschimperle in 1959.
That union produced three amazing children, Lowell, Brian, and Jody. They later divorced.
Ronnie loved farming, dancing, playing cards, laughing, and especially going out for breakfast.
That is where he met his second wife, Becki and they were married in 2004. Together they lived
on the farm going to auctions, hauling scrap metal, and of course cattle. Ronnie worked at Belle
Plaine commission company (the Sales Barn) from 1959 until its closing in 2025. To say cattle
was his passion would be an understatement. When Ronnie was in the room you could expect the
party, he lived to make people happy and laugh.
He survived by his wife Becki, sons Lowell (Brenda), Brian (Sandy), daughter Jody Herrmann
(Special friend Steve Gansen), step daughter Bridget (Eric) Backman, Stepson-in law Aaron
Ellis, 12 grandchildren, and 16 great grandchildren, sisters Darlene (Jim) Schorn, Rita (Ron)
Rademacher, brother Allen (Sharon) Schmitz, and many other family and friends. Preceded in
death by his parents and stepdaughter Cindy Adams Ellis.