Carol Leah (Schmitt) Weissert

Carol Leah (Schmitt) Weissert, 75, of La Porte, Indiana, passed away Wednesday, May 29, 2024. She was born on September 28, 1948 to the late Richard J. and Ancilla L. (Mc Cabe) Schmitt.

Carol received a Bachelor of Science in education from Indiana University in 1974. A four year break in her studies at the university as a flight attendant with Braniff International Airlines instilled a love of travel in her. Although she studied education, her career path took her in the direction of a career in travel and tourism. Her many positions in travel included Travel Advisor with Redden Travel Bureau, Office Manager with AirCare Travel, Sales Representative with Forlow Tours, Sales and Catering Manager with Adams Mark Hotel, Manager with Indiana Hotel & Lodging Association, Executive Director of indiana Hospitality & Tourism Foundation with Livengood & Associates, and Director of Operations for Edgerton's Travel Service. She combined her love of travel with teaching when she developed the curriculum and taught at the Indiana Travel Academy in Mishawaka and in the Travel and Tourism department at Ivy Tech in Indianapolis.

Carol loved animals, especially cats. She always had at least one cat, and was known to feed and care for the feral cats in her neighborhood. She spent a year taming one, Tux, who became her companion for more than 20 years. She also worked with a wildlife rehabilitation organization and helped to rescue and transport endangered waterfowl. She was also known to feed the geese from the neighborhood pond, much to her neighbors' chagrin.

After retirement, she led a quiet life, playing with her cats, daily walks to the store, and watching her favorite TV programs, Murder She Wrote, Mash, and the Game Show Network. She loved reading mysteries, especially those by Agatha Christie and Rita Mae Brown. She enjoyed working puzzles, both word and picture, and was a whiz at Free Cell Because her family and friends were very important to her, she enjoyed family gatherings, IU reunions with friends from Foster Quad, and monthly lunches with her high school friends, the '66 Chicks. Although she had traveled the world, her favorite destination was Maine where she could visit lighthouses and listen to the waves crash on the rocks.

Carol is survived by her siblings, Richard (Jo) Schmitt, Martha (Steve) King, and David Schmitt, all of La Porte; daughter Brooke (Maurizio) Manetti and grandson Serafino Manetti of California; and her beloved nieces and nephews, Rachel (Doug) Weasner, Ashley Schmitt, Sam (Claire) King and great niece Jordan King, Alex Schmitt, and Andrew Schmitt.

She was preceded in death by her parents, siblings Anthony Schmitt and Laura Schmitt, and her fiancee James Rubley.

Visitation will be from 9:00 AM to 10:45 AM on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Frank L. Keszei Funeral Home, Essling Chapel, 1117 Indiana Avenue, La Porte, Indiana.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 AM Monday, June 10, 2024, at Holy Family Parish, St. Peter Church, 1101 Michigan Avenue, La Porte, Indiana where Carol was baptized and married.

Burial will follow at Pine Lake Cemetery.

Memorial Contributions may be made to the VNA Hospice, 501 Marquette Street, Valparaiso, IN 46383-2508 or the Jane Bernard Animal Shelter 2855 IN-2, La Porte, Indiana 46350.

To light a virtual candle, share a story of Carol’s life or leave a message of comfort for her family, please visit esslingfuneralhome.com.

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