Pamela Jennifer Schmuki

Pamela (Pam, PJ) Schmuki, age 78, of Cottage Grove, passed away September 23, 2023.

Memorial service will be 10:30 am Wednesday, November 22, 2023 at Cottage Grove United Church of Christ, 7008 Lamar Avenue S., Cottage Grove with visitation thirty minutes prior.  Interment will be held at Ft. Snelling National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers please make donations in Pam’s name to Gift of Life Transplant House in Rochester, MN Make a Donation - Gift of Life Transplant House • A home that helps & heals (gift-of-life.org)

Pamela Jennifer (Hickory) Schmuki was born September 8, 1945 in Shreveport, Louisiana to Frank and Isobel Hickory. She was the oldest of four kids.  She attended Washburn High School in Minneapolis, MN. She graduated with a bachelor’s of art degree from Macalester College. She enjoyed telling stories about the variety of jobs she held in her early years of employment such as a cab driver, working for a publishing company, daycare provider, her family’s company and many others, finishing stories with her Woolworth employment where she met the love of her life, Claude Schmuki. She married Claude on April 30, 1972 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  

By 1980 they had moved to MN and settled in their home in Cottage Grove. She began a 27+ year career at the airlines where she was known as PJ and dreamed of traveling the world. She started out in Credit and Collections with Republic Airlines and then moved onto answering the phones in general sales from ‘82-’84. She began specialty assignments in CRC, Special Services, Traffic Management, and Domestic Rates. In ‘87 Republic Airlines merged with Northwest Airlines and she volunteered to be loaned out to Engineering to work on the consolidation of the fleets which included diagrammatic work. Because of this experience she was tapped to help with the designs of Northwest’s new aircraft, the 747-400 and A319. She worked in International Rates from ‘88-’07 and then returned to general sales with Round-the-World bookings.

Pam was struck by liver failure shortly after retirement and received a liver transplant in 2010. She was forever grateful to Mayo Clinic and the Gift of Life House that gave her 13 additional years of life. Pam relaxed by gardening and singing in her church choir. She loved reading and community activities at the YMCA and Senior Center. She enjoyed visiting with her grandchildren from Illinois and Texas and spending time at Briarwood Nature Preserve in her hometown in Louisiana.

She is survived by her children Brett (Leia Less) Schmuki and Sami (Wally) Dittrich; grandchildren Sophia, Arabel, Brennan, Kailey, Justin and Lily; sisters Patty (Tim) Hendrix, Shari (Dave) Arundel brother Steve (Jan) Hickory and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband Claude and parents Frank and Isobel.

For those who would like to participate in Pam's service via livestream, you can watch the service on Wednesday, November 22, 2023 at 10:30 AM.  It can be viewed by scrolling to the bottom of this page, and "CLICK PLAY" to begin.  Please leave a message of support on our Tribute Wall to let the family know you were able to watch the service.  If you are having troubles with the Livestream, please accept our apologies, but the service will be available to watch later in the day.

OR a private viewing link through YouTube is also available. http://track.smtpmessage.com/9131393/c?p=_CWyriQWKR-_zacSQP80ntjHIq1t8VfJtmkiV7Nq8y5LYtHCrMKVADXS8A8uGQacHSy7SL6vNVw55fJ80yGsvrRQUgqC18ApxTtumR6nlYvWpGRT7iXYhzCgy1eyx8xtEozxpj77-l7Rr40e5irje-xb9JIVpwHhzKCFSw-rQnynCVwa5KzyKsvZlVC4Y_cPs2lq3zte6vghogHG1MKufg==