Violet Schmidt Obituary

Violet Beatrice Schmidt

April 23, 1928 - May 22, 2025

Fresno, California - The family of Violet Beatrice Schmidt with heavy hearts announces her passing on May 22, 2025, at the age of ninety-seven. Violet was born April 23, 1928, in Weatherford OK, to Virgil and Beatrice Avants.

Vi, as she would be known to family and friends, was the third of five children. The family migrated from Oklahoma during the Great Depression and settled on a farm in Reedley, CA. As a teenager she and her sisters sang for Christ Ambassador's (a youth program affiliated with the Assembly of God Church) during the 1940's and 1950's, performing throughout the San Joaquin Valley. It was during one of these performances that Vi caught the eye of a young suitor who would later become her husband. In 1946 Donald H. Miller and Vi married and settled into their new home in Taft CA, where they had two children together, Jeanie and Mike. The family were members of the Taft Assembly of God Church and founding members of Calvary Temple in Taft.

She and Don owned and managed four businesses in Taft, including three laundromats and a hair salon named The Beauty Box. During this time Vi also became an accomplished pilot and flew multiple airplanes throughout California for both business and pleasure. After retiring they moved to Hume Lake, CA until Don's passing October 5th, 1995, after 49 years of marriage.

Vi then moved to Fresno CA where she met and married Robert Elia on September 11, 1999. They were married for eleven years until Robert passed away. She then married Victor Ozbourn in October of 2011, until his passing in July of 2014. She then was reacquainted with Vernon Schmidt who she knew from grade school in Reedley CA. Vi and Vernon married in Lake Tahoe on April 22nd, 2016. In the years that followed they remained active and served their communities both as members of Peoples Church and by supporting veteran's organizations worldwide. Vi loved having family and friends around and called them weekly to check on how they were doing.

She is survived by her husband of nine years Vernon Schmidt; daughter, Jeanie Barnes; son, Michael Miller, and wife Betty; stepdaughters, Audrey Tarvin and Sandy Schmidt; sister Roselyn Manahan; grandchildren, John Hudson, Michelle Miller, Cheri Geers, Tina Miller, Brian Meirowsky, Mikayla Miller; great grandchildren, Will Hudson, John Hudson Jr., Samantha Maxwell, Alyssa Miller, Austin Geers, Tyler Meirowsky, Ryley Meirowsky and Haley Geers; great-great grandchildren, Avery Hudson and Griffin Hudson.

She was proceeded in death by her parents, Virgil, and Beatrice Avants; husbands, Donald H Miller, Robert Elia, and Victor Ozbourn; sisters, Wanda White and Star Huizinga; brother Gerald Avants; stepson, Chris Schmidt; and grandson, Timothy Hudson.

Viewing - Farewell Mortuary 660 W Locust Ave, Fresno CA, Friday, June 6, 2025, 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Graveside Services (family only) - Reedley Cemetery 2185 S. Reed Ave. Reedley, CA, Saturday June 7, 2025, 9:00 a.m.

Celebration of Life and Reception - Peoples Church Chapel 7172 N. Cedar Ave. Fresno, CA, Saturday June 7, 2025, 11:00 a.m.