Rhonda Marlene Schumann

Rhonda Marlene (Lutz) Schumann was born on August 11, 1949, in Evansville, Indiana, to Howard Franklin Lutz and Mary Elizabeth (Thompson) Lutz. She was their third of four daughters, and the middle child of eleven.

The family moved to Moberly in 1958 and eventually moved into a farmhouse owned by Henry and Mary Elizabeth (Steinkamp) Schumann. It was during those years that Rhonda met a young man who would one day become the love of her life. But first, Rhonda attended the Cottage Grove School-a one-room schoolhouse-in rural Moberly. Rhonda loved learning, and she especially admired her teacher, Mrs. Brockman, who was a source of inspiration and planted the seed of the dream of teaching within Rhonda.

Through a series of blessed events, Rhonda began to date Charles Henry Schumann-the son of the farmer who had previously rented Rhonda’s parents the farmhouse. It was on September 25, 1965, that Rhonda married Charles at St. Pius X Catholic Church in Moberly. Rhonda and Charles made their own home in the very home that she had spent several years growing up in herself. In this home, they raised a family.

Rhonda’s dreams of becoming a teacher never faded, but her education was to begin quite differently than first expected. With the help and blessing of Charles and his family, Rhonda learned the fine arts of being a farmer’s wife, a farmhand, a tractor and feed truck driver, a milkmaid, a “good cooker girl”, and a loving momma to her five children: Theresa, Charles Jr., Michael, William, and Sarah.

Rhonda’s farm life was not always easy, but always rewarding. As her young children began to enter their elementary years of education, Rhonda had the opportunity to volunteer at St. Pius X School in the second grade classroom as a teacher’s aide to Mrs. Henderson. Mrs. Henderson took a special interest in Rhonda and encouraged her to continue the pursuit of her education. With the dream of one day becoming a teacher reignited in her, she began attending night courses at the Moberly Area Technical School to obtain her G.E.D. As her youngest child reached preschool-age, Rhonda took a job working in an early childcare/daycare center in Moberly, and took her little girl, Sarah, right along with her. Years later, after Sarah entered elementary school, Rhonda resumed her educational pursuits. She first attended the Moberly Area Community College and earned her associate’s degree. She went on to earn her B.S. in Education from Central Methodist College in Fayette, Missouri. Rhonda became a grandmother for the first time during the fall of 1988–the final year of her college education. During breaks in her class schedule, she would drive from the college in Fayette over to New Franklin to spend time learning and loving the art of grandparenting the first of 20 grandchildren, Lindsey Anne. Lindsey had the special privilege of attending her own grandma’s college graduation. Rhonda began her full-time teaching career in earnest, in the fall of 1989.  Charles was Rhonda’s greatest supporter and encourager during her continuing education.  He was very proud of her and all her accomplishments.

Rhonda’s career began with her teaching the fourth grade at North Park School in Moberly, using a creative, hands-on approach that always inspired her students. She loved taking her teaching cues from her favorite author, Laura Ingalls Wilder, and Rhonda often had her students learning the very things she held dear as a farmer’s wife and mom. It was not unusual for her to borrow ideas from the Little House series of books and employ them in her own classroom. Her most treasured memories of teaching at that time included the class project of quilting. She taught her students the art of embroidery. Each student designed a quilt block and together they created a quilt that was raffled off to raise money for the school. It became an annual project and the students loved it! Beyond the teaching responsibilities and requirements, Rhonda prayed for her students. She was a prayer warrior for all her students and always made sure they felt included, important, and loved. Rhonda was a firm believer in second chances, and there was no such thing as too many second chances. She knew the power of second chances and forgiveness in her own life.

Rhonda and Charles were both active in Cursillo and Residents Encounter Christ-Prison Ministry. In addition, Rhonda volunteered to clean the church, helped with funeral dinners, and served as a sponsor in St. Pius X’s RCIA program, where she aided many new converts in the Catholic faith. She and her family have always been big supporters of the Missouri Right to Life. One of Rhonda’s favorite memories was the privilege of traveling to Washington, D.C. on a bus with fellow pro-life Christians to march in the National March for Life in support of legislation defending the right to life of the unborn child.

Rhonda’s educational career continued to evolve over time, and she worked for the University of Missouri Project Reach program following her classroom days. She was involved in training early childcare providers in several counties how to properly care for little ones. Early Childcare was something Rhonda was always passionate about. Following that, she worked as an educator of parents in the Parents as Teachers program with Moberly Public Schools, from which she retired in 2012.

Above all, Rhonda’s faith carried her along throughout her life. At the age of 10, she had a conversion experience when she attended a Mass at St. Pius X Catholic Church with a beloved uncle–brother of her daddy. From that point on, she grew in her faith and began to comprehend the heights and depths of God’s love for her and for all people. Rhonda entered the Catholic Church and was confirmed at the age of 15. She continued to grow in understanding and lived her faith to the best of her ability, drawing her strength from the Sacraments of Holy Eucharist and Confession for the duration of her life. The most consoling things to Rhonda in the final stages of her decline were the prayers of the Church, a habit she formed early enough in life that even Alzheimers could not steal from her at the end. Rhonda was most comforted by visits from dear priest friends and her own priest-grandson, who will be offering the Mass of Christian Burial for her soul.

It was on September 18, 2022, that Rhonda entered her eternal life, surrounded by her children who “prayed and sang her to heaven”. With faith in God’s mercy, we believe she joins her husband Charles, and many other dear family members gone on before: Rhonda’s and Charles’s parents; her siblings Howard Gene and James Franklin; Beverly James; Jane Spurling; and Eddie Lutz, Sr. Also preceding her in death were her grandchildren Megan Schumann, Darik Schumann, and Kimberly Marlene Schumann.

Rhonda is survived by her five children and their spouses: Theresa and Tim Armentrout (Bynumville/Salisbury), Chuck and Andrea Schumann (Moberly), Michael and Johnna Schumann (Jacksonville), Willie and Mercia Schumann (Jacksonville) and Sarah and Kyley Mefford (Moberly). Rhonda is also survived by seventeen grandchildren: Lindsey (Troy) Skinner, Alaina, Fr. Benjamin, and Luke Armentrout, Mitch (Camille) Schumann, Austin (Madilyn) Schumann, Evan Schumann, Jackson (Betsy) Schumann, and Lane Schumann, Matthew, Dillon, and Brandon Schumann, Tyler (Cindy) Schumann, and Cassie Schumann, Hannah (Ramón “Rico”) Hernandez, Rebekah, and Aliciah Mefford. Also surviving are ten great-grandchildren: Aubrie, Raelynn, and Gavin Skinner, Rosalie, Ellie, and Colter Schumann, Henry and Lillian Marlene Schumann, Koda Schumann, and Greyson Schumann. Rhonda is also survived by her brothers, Frank (Judy) Lutz, Randy Lutz, Jeff (Rita) Lutz, and David (Marjorie) Lutz; her sister, Connie (Terry) Creason as well as numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins, some of which Rhonda helped to raise during part of their own lives.

The Visitation for Rhonda will be held Thursday, September 22, 2022, at Pathway-Millard Family Funeral Chapel in Moberly from 4:00 p.m. to 6:55 p.m. a Rosary will begin at 7:00 p.m.

On the day of the funeral, Friday, September 23, 2022, a Rosary will be prayed for Rhonda at St. Pius X Church, 201 Williams Street in Moberly at 9:35 a.m. with the Mass of Christian Burial following at 10:00 a.m. Graveside services will follow immediately with interment at St. Mary’s Cemetery (on Taylor Street) in Moberly.

Memorial contributions are suggested to the St. Mary’s Cemetery Fund and St. Pius X Early Childcare Center.

Condolences may be left online for the family at www.pathwaymemorial.com.

Arrangements are under the direction of PATHWAY-MILLARD Funeral Directors, 411 Union Avenue, Moberly, Missouri 65270 (660) 263-7284.