Benita Augusta (Bissen) Schiltz, daughter of Joseph and Anna (Erlbacher) Bissen was born on January 11, 1921 in Defiance, Iowa. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Peter’s Catholic Church, and graduated with the class of 1939 from St. Paul’s Catholic High School in Defiance. After graduating from high school, Benita taught grades 1 through 8 in a one room country school house.
On Monday, September 18, 1944 at 8:00 am, Benita was united in marriage to Anthony (Tony) Schiltz at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Defiance, Iowa. If a couple wanted to have a wedding dance they needed to get married on a Monday when the Big Bands came to Defiance.
The couple farmed in the Defiance and Irwin area before moving to their farm North of Earling, Iowa in 1954. Benita shared her deep faith and her love for gardening, quilting, and the love of the land with Tony, and their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Tony and Benita retired from farming in 1990. Retirement provided extra time for attending their grandchildren’s activities, and more opportunities for bowling, traveling, bingo, card playing and socializing with family and friends. Benita took great pride in making quilts for all her children and grandchildren having made over 46 quilts. Benita’s unending love for her family and being involved in family activities was a priority for her.
After Tony passed in 1999, Benita remained on the farm for 5 years before moving to Earling. She continued to be very active in her community and family activities and attending her grandchildren’s graduation and weddings. She has been known for spoiling her grandchildren, and her great grandchildren. She hosted events such as “Camp Grandma Great” that included camping in her backyard, making Christmas cookies, trips to the park and playing games. She loved playing Rummikub with family, playing her last game in June 2025.
Benita was very active in Saint Joseph Parish. She taught religious education, attended Sunday and weekday Masses and was an active member of the Altar and Rosary Society. She was an active member of the Catholic Daughter’s of America, Earling’s St. Catherine’s Court 266 for over 80 years. During her life she learned the importance of faith, love, kindness, grace, cherishing family, and giving thanks to God for all the blessings in her life. Benita’s strong faith was something that she instilled in her children and passed down to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She celebrated her 104th birthday by attending mass with her family at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church.
As a child, Benita grew up without electricity and without running water in the house. In her later years she learned how to use a computer and send email’s. She drove a car until her mid-nineties. Benita lived through the Dust Bowl, the Great Depression, and times of drought. She said “when times got tough, we prayed to God. He helped us through those tough times.”
She died peacefully surrounded by love from both near and afar on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, having attained the age of one hundred four years, seven months and one day.
In addition to her parents, Benita was proceeded in death by her husband Tony; two infant children, Mary and Gerard; son Bob and his wife Linda (Miller); her siblings Leonard, Marvin, Ann and Francis and their spouses; Tony’s siblings Anna, Joe, Carolyn, Theresa, Mike, Hermanette, Mary and their spouses; and Laurina’s husband, Duane Schleisman; granddaughter’s husband Jim Cerneka; several nieces and nephews; other relatives and friends.
Survivors include her children Tony Schiltz and his wife Helen of Davenport, Iowa; Joann and her husband Anthony Allegretti of San Jose, California; Gene Schiltz and his wife Marian of Altoona, Iowa; Jim Schiltz and his wife Mel of Bellevue, Nebraska; and Mary Jane (Mary) and her husband Delmer Powell of Omaha, Nebraska; twenty grandchildren; forty great grandchildren; three great-great grandchildren; sister-in-law Laurina (Schiltz) Schleisman; many nieces, nephews and friends.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to family for later memorialization.
