Diane Schmitt

Schmitt, Kathleen Diane, BSN RN, EMT-P Diane slipped away from her cancer ridden body and ascended into the kingdom of heaven Friday, the 26th of December. She is finally pain free. Diane Donica was born and raised in the small agricultural community of Atascosa, just outside of San Antonio, Texas. Throughout her early years, she excelled in athletics, agriculture and academics. She attended San Antonio College on an athletic scholarship, later transferring to Texas A&M University where she earned a degree in Recreation and Parks Administration. Diane was working as the Special Events Coordinator for the City of Bryan when she met her future husband, Chuck Schmitt. Diane worked two jobs keeping the bills paid while he finished his degree. After Chucks graduation, Diane changed careers, following her mothers footsteps into nursing. Diane completed her BSN at Baylor School of Nursing and was selected for membership in the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau. After graduation, she worked for several years in the 4West medical transplant intensive care unit at Baylor Hospital in Dallas. With the goal of becoming a flight nurse, Diane transferred to the Baylor Emergency Department to gain emergency care experience. While working in the ED, the hard work of long hours and lifting patients began to take a toll on her back. Seeking a way to remain in emergency medicine while reducing the physical stress on her back, Diane went to work with the Emergency Medical Services Education Department at UTSW in Dallas. She truly loved teaching EMS Continuing Education classes at fire stations all over the Dallas area. The strain of riding out with the Paramedics on the ambulances eventually became too much for her back and she went into semi-retirement. During this time, Diane joined MARK-9 Search and Rescue, training the blind dog she rescued several years earlier as a tracking dog. Diane and Bumper became certified as a team and were called out to several emergencies. Once again, her back kept her from doing what she really loved and she had to end her SAR service. After a few years, Diane tried to get back into nursing on a reduced physical stress level, working as a telephone triage nurse for Parkland Hospital, but eventually, this also proved to be too physically demanding. Diane was a giver. Throughout her life, wherever she went, whatever she did, whoever she met, she gave of herself. All that knew her felt it. The ultimate team player, she will be indescribably missed. Diane was preceded in death by her mother, June Donica, RN. She is survived by her father, Mavin Donica of Gretna, NE, her brothers Steve Donica of Gretna,NE and Larry Donica of Atascosa, TX, her sister Nancy Tefteller of Lavernia, TX and her husband of 19 years, Chuck Schmitt of Mesquite, TX. Please allow Dianes life of giving to live on by donating in her name to: MARK-9 Search and Rescue 10842 Roadrunner Dallas, Texas 75217 (local level) National Association for Search and Rescue (NASAR) PO Box 232020 Centerville, Virginia 20120 (national level) Or your local animal rescue charity. Diane's send off ceremony will be Thursday, January 1, 2008 10:00AM at New Hope Funeral Home. A graveside sevice will be held on Friday, January 2, 2008 1:00PM at Black Hill Cemetery in Lytle, TX.