PLEASANTON, Calif. (Jan. 12, 2023) — Longtime breeder and owner Mary Clare Schmitt, wife of California Thoroughbred Breeders Association Board member and vice chairperson George Schmitt, passed away on Tuesday, Jan. 10. She was 77.
Mary Clare was born in Butte, Montana as the second daughter of John Joseph and Patricia Sullivan. A lifelong practicing Catholic, Clare and George Schmitt were married on February 19, 1966 in Butte. She had nine brothers and sisters and has a myriad of cousins, nieces, and nephews. She bore three children and is blessed with six grandchildren. Daughter Joan Marie, married to Jeff Hawkins, has three lovely and smart granddaughters: Madison, Noel and Isabela. Son George the 8th, married to Jennifer, also has three children: Mary Grace, George the 9th, and Gavin, all smart and athletically gifted. She is now in heaven with her third child, John Joseph Schmitt, who died in 1983.
She attended Catholic schools in Butte and college at the Montana lnstitute of Technology and Carroll College. She is an Honorary Alumna of Saint Mary’s College in Moraga and was a great supporter of both the men’s and women’s programs at the school. She attended as many games as she could every season. Clare was an avid sportsperson, skiing, playing tennis, racquetball, and golf. The Schmitt family has two holes in one, both belong to Clare at Castlewood Country Club.
In 1990, she moved to Düsseldorf, Germany with her husband, who was responsible for building the first digital wireless network in the world. She became a world traveler and spent time in almost every country in Europe, supporting her husband and enjoying the different cultures during her travels.
Clare was a loving person who enjoyed life and entertaining, but everyone knew to avoid what the family lovingly knows as “Clare’s Glare.” All of us will miss her greatly, but we believe she is in heaven with her Lord and maker Jesus Christ as she begins her last journey to everlasting life.
Visitation at Graham Hitch on First Street in Pleasanton on Friday, January 13 from 5-8 pm, Mass at Noon on Saturday at Saint Augustine’s Church in Pleasanton, Burial in Saint Augustine’s Cemetery near her son. The funeral will be streamed at the following links:
https://www.facebook.com/CatholicCommunityofPleasanton
https://www.youtube.com/@thecatholiccommunityofplea3248
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the John Joseph Schmitt Endowment for students at Saint Mary’s College in Moraga, which is used to support students as determined by the president of the college. The John Joseph Schmitt Endowment c/o Saint Mary’s College PO Box 4300 Moraga, CA 94575.