Neva Gertrude Schmidt passed away the evening of Nov. 23, 2020, at her home on the Wynoochee Valley. Neva was born at the family farm on the Wynoochee Valley. She was the ninth of the 14 children born to Alice Louise Fry and Silver Buell Valentine. True to her Fry and Valentine pioneer roots, she spent her whole life in the Wynoochee Valley. Neva attended grade school at the site of the Wynoochee Grange Hall. The school is no longer there. The school gym was added on to create the grange building. She went on to graduate high school in Montesano, class of 1948.

Neva was always a hard worker. She drove the family’s 1935 Ford two-ton truck into town to work at the Goodie Garden after school. Upon graduation she began working at the bank. It was then that she bought her Model A Ford coupe, often giving her younger brothers and cousins a ride home after ball practice when she finished work.

Neva married Arnold Schmidt on June 27, 1955. They were married for nearly 59 years. The couple bought the house across the road from the family farm where Neva grew up, where they lived until they built their home across the river on Arnold’s family property in 1971. Neva and Arnold loved to hike in the Olympics. They both enjoyed the outdoors. Neva was a wonderful gardener.

Neva worked for years at the Grays Harbor County Courthouse and upon retiring she was asked by a local banker to come and work at his bank for awhile. When Neva and Arnold finally retired, they went on many wonderful cruises with their friends.

Neva is survived by her brothers Clarence Valentine and James (Janie) Valentine, and her sister-in-law Katie Patterson, all of Montesano as well as numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband as well as her brothers: Vernon, Lyle, Richard, Gerold (Gov), Roger and Harold Valentine, and her sisters: Fern Anensen, Eunice Colombo, Ernestine Wolfe, Doris Jarvis and Alice Duncan.

The family would like to express their gratitude to the caregivers, especially Jennie McLean and Tracy Sundberg, for their kind, loving and compassionate care.

A graveside service for family and close friends will be held Thursday, Dec. 3, 2020, at the Wynoochee Cemetery at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to your favorite charity.

Arrangements are entrusted to Harrison Family Mortuary in Montesano.