Velma Schlick, 97, of Charles City, passed away Saturday, May 30, 2020 at the 9th Street Chautauqua Guest Home in Charles City.
A private service will be held and a public memorial celebration of her life will happen at a future date.
Velma Kathryn Schlick was born November 4, 1922, to George and Amanda (Thielke) Heitz and grew up a farm girl with her brother and two sisters. She enjoyed helping her dad and working with the horses and other farm animals. She attended country school, graduated from Charles City High School at the age of 16, and taught country school in Ulster Township for a few years. Velma had a keen interest in nature. If her students got their work done early, she would walk them to nearby woods to look for birds and wildflowers.
She loved farm life and in 1944 married farmer Donald Schlick, and settled in to life as a farm wife southwest of Charles City. They raised corn, beans, oats, hay, cattle, hogs, chickens, and two boys, James and Paul. She tended a large garden with Don’s and the boys’ help—mostly Don’s. Their hard work and frugal nature enabled them to send both boys to Iowa State to become engineers. Don kept two Belgian draft horses as a hobby after he retired and she enjoyed riding around the farm with him in wagon or sled until Don’s death in 2000.
Velma loved music and played the piano, often briefly giving the ivories a quick tickle on her way by. She also loved poetry and cut hundreds of poems out of magazines which she pinned on the curtains and memorized while washing dishes. She gave dozens of individualized poetry-based programs to groups and civic organizations. She also wrote poetry including a lengthy poem about 4th of July picnics which she recited at the church picnic for decades and was published in Good Old Days magazine. She was a proficient letter-writer to both adults and children, often sending a couple hundred hand-written letters a year.
She adored cats and had many which she and Don fed in narrow troughs intended for feeding little chicks. She gave every kitten a unique name and usually a special kitten or two made their way into the house. They always had one dog, always an English Shepherd, that Don always named Rex.
Velma had a deep faith and attended W. St. Charles Methodist Church all her life where she taught Sunday School and World Builders, led the MYF youth group, and participated in bible study. She always had a positive attitude and approached life with a smile and a wittiness that endeared her to people. She loved her family and often said that she got her boys right away but had to wait years for her daughters.
Velma is survived by sons Paul (Judy) Schlick and Jim Schlick; sisters-in-law Darlene Heitz and Dixie Fox; and dozens of nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Glenn Heitz; sisters, Lois Frankenfield and Lorraine Fox; and daughter-in-law, Pam Schlick.
Memorials to C&W Rustic Hollow Shelter, Nashua, who cared for her cats Samantha and Zorro after she moved from the farm in 2013, and to the West St. Charles Methodist Church, Charles City.
Hauser Weishaar Funeral Home, (641) 228-2323, 1205 South Main Street, Charles City, Iowa 50616 is in charge of local arrangements. Online condolences may be left on the Tribute Wall for the family at www.hauserfh.com.
