Senior Focus on ... Crystal Schmitz

Her parents, Bill and Hansina Anderson, owned a poultry farm and hatchery near Clearbrook for 32 years. Crystal was born in 1933 and worked on the farm helping her parents at the chicken hatchery. 

“I certainly cleaned a lot of eggs! After I left home, they bought an automatic egg washer,” Crystal says. “I drove the tractor for farmers loading bundles of hay onto hay racks. 

“Most of the chickens were hatched from January to April. They were little white leghorns. On Tuesday and Friday, I would take them out of the incubator and make up orders of 104 chickens, divided into four corners of a box.” 

Crystal was quite aware of World War 2 growing up, as she had uncles and cousins in the Marines in the South Pacific. Her dad was a Marine in the First World War.

Crystal had an older sister, LaVone Gustafson, and older brother, Douglas Anderson. Crystal graduated from Clearbrook High School in 1951. 

“Back then there were no scholarships, like there are today to help you go to college. But I did receive an award of a Leadership Pin, and wondered, 'What did I do to deserve that?'”

But when she thought about it, Crystal realized she had been pretty active during her school years, doing community service, and was involved with the choir and drama club. 

“I even organized a whole school carnival, and I went to Girls State which was held at the 4-H Fair Grounds where I was 'elected' Superintendent of Schools at a mock election.” 

“I didn't mind expressing my opinion. But we had a lot of respect for adults, teachers and neighbors,” she says. 

Crystal attended Bemidji State College to become a Physical Education teacher. After two years, she got married. In 1955 she was hired as the secretary to County Attorney Aurel Ekvall and worked for him and the Judge of Probate Melvin Anderson. 

“That's where I got my formal education,” she says. “After my daughter was born, there was no maternity leave. Later I went to work for the County Assessor John Hulteen for two  summers. Then I worked for Mrs. McCallister, the Hospital Administrator. I worked for the County a total of 37 years.” 

While at the hospital, Crystal worked her way up to be in charge of the business office and financials, then Assistant Administrator. 

“I loved working there. It was quite an education. I remember telling my Business teacher in high school, 'I don't know why I'm taking bookkeeping, I'll never use it!'”

But when she did some bookkeeping, Crystal found that she liked it. She did bookkeeping for Mr. Ekvall for ten more years. 

In 1992 Crystal retired, but she certainly was not a lady of leisure. She still worked part time. They had just remodeled the hospital and asked her if she would do the redecorating. That became a five year project, in which she dedicated her time decorating from patient rooms to the Board room.

“I got the help of a decorating firm in Fargo. We used a 'color board' to coordinate the colors in all the areas. Then I organized the decorating at Faith Lutheran Church with five other members.” 

The Beautification Project started in 2000 in Bagley was the next big effort in which Crystal became involved. 

“Around that time, I remember thinking, 'This town needs help', wondering what could be done to make Bagley more attractive. And with the support of Mayor Steve Beltz, the Tuesday Study Club, and many others, a downtown redevelopment proposal was planned, and a Beautification Board was set up.” Crystal headed the Board.

“We started with hanging baskets, and planters. We felt that flowers would be a quick fix to create a renewed city and to instill in the people of Bagley a pride in their neighborhood, which would mature into a greater pride in their city. 

 “Contests were held for the best use of flowers by residents, organizations, and the business community. We introduced a 'Yard of the Week' in the Farmers Independent, and improved various areas. We applied for a grant from MnDOT and received a Community Roadside Landscaping Grant in June of 2003, and volunteers planted and cared for over 300 trees and shrubs it provided. We received a grant from the Region 2 Arts for a mural at Galli's. A local artist painted the four season artscape, but unfortunately the painting did not last.” 

The American Legion donated $3,000 for a sculpture to be created and money for planters and flags. The War Memorial was also being planned.

Though she gives credit to the success of the project to all those who contributed, volunteered,  businesses and clubs who helped, the City of Bagley, as well as the residents who heartily participated in the Beautification of Bagley, there is no doubt that Crystal's endeavors to fulfill this profound challenge were the catalyst for its accomplishment. She put in a great deal of personal time in order to see the fulfillment of this dream. 

She says of those days, “I never walked in anyplace that I wasn't thanked for the effort.”

“Tuesday Study Club was awarded the Community Improvement, Revitalization, and Beautification Award for the State of Minnesota, and received a certificate and $100.”

Crystal's husband,Tony Schmitz, was administrator at the Red Lake Falls Hospital for 20 years, then in 1985 started a water softener business called Eco Water of Bemidji. He retired from that in 2000. 

In 1994 Tony and Crystal got married in Hawaii and went back for their 10th Anniversary. They have traveled to Italy, and took a cruise to Cancun, Mexico from Galveston, Texas. 

“I feel really fortunate to travel.”

Crystal's children are Steve, Lynn, Jack and Jill Wallingford. 

In 2003, Crystal was honored to be the Clearwater First Lady. She says that was quite exciting. 

“I have enjoyed traveling, camping, bowling, scrap booking, gardening, and I like to read too. Tony and I used to golf a lot.”

“We have great memories of 35 years of belonging to a gourmet group along with five couples. We would meet once a month, rotate houses and the hosts would furnish entree and wine and give the other members new recipes, never tested, to complete the meal.”

She says of her accomplishments, “Everybody is so cooperative. Not everyone wants to be a leader, but there are many who are willing to work and help.” 

Crystal's philosophy of life is summed up in the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

“I have a lot of respect for how you treat people,” she says. “We instilled that in our kids too. I don't like to see the bullying that is going on these days. How children act comes from how they are raised, from what they see and hear.”