| Graduation Year | Class of 1963 |
| Date of Passing | Dec 12, 2011 |
| About | Yakima Herald-Republic (WA) - Saturday, December 24, 2011 SEATTLE - Jill Elizabeth Rolfe Schmitt died on December 12th, 2011 in Seattle, WA. She was born August 8, 1945, in Yakima, WA, to Helen and Donald Rolfe. She graduated from Eisenhower High School in 1963, later receiving a B.A. in Parks & Recreation from Washington State University where she was affiliated with Alpha Delta Pi Sorority. Jill married Joseph Waters in 1966. She worked in Pullman and Kent, WA, before moving to Alaska in 1976 as Director of the Community Schools for the Anchorage Municipality, later becoming the Director of Community Education before retiring in 1999. Jill moved to Flint, MI, as Associate Director for the National Center for Community Education, and later served as Regional Associate from 2001-2005. In 2003, Jill married Rodger Schmitt and they moved to Port Townsend, WA. Jill was a carver, painter, knitter, sewer and an avid quilter and superb cook. She was active with the Port Townsend and Cabin Fever Quilters and volunteered for the Jefferson Land Trust. Jill was diagnosed with a rare blood cancer (MDS) in 2005, and her life became about surviving and thriving in the face of serious illness. She embraced life as she and Rodger traveled, enjoyed friends, good food and wine. She became an advocate for MDS, serving on the education committee for the AAMDS Foundation. Jill recently underwent a successful bone marrow transplant. However, post-transplant complications took her life. She died with the same grace with which she lived her life surrounded by her family and friends. Survivors include her husband, Rodger Schmitt of Port Townsend, WA; her daughter, Jayme Waters of Las Vegas, NV; her sister, Judy Shinn, of Washington, DC; her stepsister, Mary Dahlin of Selah, WA; her stepbrother, Robert Dahlin of Yakima, WA; her stepdaughters Kara Schmitt of Oakland, CA, and Kristen Coddington of Boise, ID, and her children, Grace, Claire and Clinton, who she loved as her very own; her best friend, Sandy Saffell of Yakima, WA; many other relatives and friends; and her current of many loved dogs, Sunny. |
