Susan Marie Schmitz was born on March 19, 1946, in Chamberlain, SD, to Carl and Gladys (Davis) Kiehn. She grew up with nine siblings and attended country school near Presho, SD. While working as a waitress at a roadside café, Susan would meet her future husband, Donald Schmitz, Sr., while he was working on construction in the area. The couple were married on March 7, 1963, in Pierre, SD and went on to have six children. The family lived in Trenton, Nebraska and St. Paul, Nebraska before they moved to Boyd, MN.

Susan worked a variety of jobs in Boyd, including at the liquor store and grocery store, before spending 32 years as a cutter at Clarkfield Outdoors. In her free time, Susan enjoyed camping, reading, word finds, puzzles, sewing, and watching Gunsmoke. She will be remembered by her family for liking her grandchildren more than her kids, and her great-grandchildren even more than her grandchildren.

On Thursday, April 3, 2025, Susan died at Johnson Memorial Health Services in Dawson with family by her side. She is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Donald; sons, Mike Schmitz and Donald "Pork" Schmitz, Jr.; granddaughter, Danielle; great-grandson, Zander; son-in-law, Daryl Hermanson; sister, Connie Moore; brother, Curt Kiehn; and brother-in-law, Perry Stout.

Susan is survived by her children: Missy Hermanson, Tim (Carin) Schmitz, Troy (Michelle) Schmitz, and Mandy (Craig) Clark; 13 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; 7 siblings, and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held Friday, April 11, 2025, at 11 AM at Trinity Lutheran Church in Boyd, with visitation beginning at 10 AM. Interment to follow in the church cemetery.