Obituary of Mabel 'Bette' Elizabeth Schmid
Monroe Township, NJ - On July 31, 2019 , at the age of 92, Bette Schmid, loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and entrepreneur, has passed away.
Born in New York City, Mabel Elizabeth “Bette” (Danton) Schmid, moved with her family to her beloved Monroe Township at the age of 3. She was the eldest daughter of George and Cecelia Danton, and the sibling of Dorothy (Dot), William (Bill) and Leslie, and grew up on Monmouth Rd.
Bette attended a one-room school house (Matchaponix School), and began working early to support her family. Among many other jobs, she worked at Revlon in Edison and PJ Schweitzer in Spotswood, where she was introduced to her future husband Mickey. They married when he returned from WWII, and started their family, daughter Marlene and son Michael
She became involved in the formation of many organizations in Monroe Township. She was a founding member of the Monroe Township Mother's Club, providing recreational opportunities for families and she hosted the first meetings in her home. She also became the first PTA president of Monroe Township School #3 (now Woodland School). She was a member and vocal supporter of the Monroe Township Democratic Club.
It was very important to her that Monroe Township have it's own identity. She spearheaded the campaign for Monroe Township to get it's own Post Office. She collected thousands of signatures, worked with legislators, and testified before committees to get approval for construction of the Post Office. Prior to her involvement, Monroe's mail was delivered by 5 other towns.
Her last position before retiring was at McGraw-Hill in Hightstown, where she was a supervisor with initially computerizing the circulation department of Businessweek magazine (using punch cards). Before her retirement at the age of 50, she opened her business, Especially For You Florist, on West Main Street in Freehold Boro in 1976. She then became involved in the Jersey Shore Professional Floral Association and the New Jersey State Floral Association, supporting the industry, and teaching classes for future florists. In 1978, she opened a second location closer to home in Monroe Township. The business blossomed and she hired her daughter Marlene and other family members along the way. Especially For You Florist is now a three generational business, serving Greater Freehold, Monroe and surrounding areas, making over 10,000 deliveries per year.
In her later years, she enjoyed (partial) retirement, staying in Monroe, residing in the Rossmoor community and was a member of the Red Hat Ladies. She could be seen driving through town in her red PT Cruiser with flames on the side.
Bette is pre-deceased by her husband of 56 years, Michael, and her son Michael J Schmid. She is survived by her daughter Marlene and her husband Stephen Rogala, her daughter-in-law Janet Schmid, grandchildren, Stephen A. Rogala and his wife Michelle, Aliciamarie Schmid and her husband Robert Smith and Laura Wysocki and her husband Chet, and great grandaughters, Madeline Rogala and Samantha Wysocki, her fiancé Nicholas Cenicola, and many nieces, nephews. She was a communicant of Immaculate Conception Church in Spotswood.
A funeral mass will be held on Monday, August 5, 2019 at 10:30am at the Immaculate Conception Church, Spotswood, NJ.
Burial will follow in Holy Cross Burial Park, East Brunswick.
Visitation will be Sunday, August 4, 2019 from 1pm to 4 pm and 7pm to 9pm at the M. David DeMarco Funeral Home, 205 Rhode Hall Rd., Monroe Twp., NJ 08831.
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