Mathilda "Tillie" Helen Scholz

God’s angel on Earth, Mathilda "Tillie" Helen Scholz, was called to her Heavenly home Feb. 22, 2021. She was 92. Tillie was born Jan. 5, 1929, to Carl and Mathilda Gettel, and was the youngest of 14 children, raised on the family farm in Oregon City, Ore.

She loved to dance the polka and schottische, and met the love of her life, Russ Scholz, while dancing at the Norse Hall in Portland. During their courtship, Russ drove 60 miles on Saturday nights to bring Tillie an orchid corsage and take her to the dance hall. The couple married in 1952, and had four children. They moved to Battle Ground in 1966.

Tillie defined unconditional love and had endless capacity to share that love and kindness with others. She was devoted to her family and was happiest when she was surrounded by her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She enjoyed camping, cooking, baking, sewing, shopping, and gift giving. She was an avid canner, preserving green beans, salmon, peaches, pears, and pickles every year. She was fun-loving and always ready for an outing to the mall, the Columbia River Gorge, the beach, and Eastern Oregon.

She had a special place in her life for children, and babies and kids were drawn to her sweet smile, kind eyes, playful and creative spirit, and loving heart. There was always room for another child on her lap, Christmas stocking on her mantle, and place setting at her dinner table.

She worked as a secretary at Thora B. Gardiner Junior High School and Park Place Elementary School in Oregon City before she was married. She returned to the schools in 1974, serving as a reading, lunch, and recess aid at Glenwood Elementary School in the Battle Ground School District, before becoming a secretary and registrar at Battle Ground High School. She retired in 1989.

Tillie faithfully served her Lord and made Him the center of her life and family. She was baptized, confirmed, and married at Zion Lutheran Church in Oregon City, and was a longtime member of Bethel Lutheran Church in Brush Prairie, WA, where she served many years as a Sunday School teacher. She helped produce the church’s historic live nativity Christmas program in 1973, including designing and sewing all of the costumes. Most recently, she was a member of Messiah Lutheran Church in Vancouver.

Tillie is survived by her children, Don (Kristine) Scholz, Sandy (Jay) Nero, Susi (Jason) Studer, and Shari (Dennis) King; grandchildren, Kaitlin Scholz, Jamie (Casey) Scholz, Garet (Joy) Studer, Sara Nero, Brandon (Ashley) Studer, Travis Studer, and Bronson King; and greatgrandchildren, Dylan and Cooper Scholz, Sawyer Cole and Taylor Volz, Dayton, Harlow and Lawson Studer, and Everett and Lincoln Studer.

She was preceded in death by her parents; and beloved husband, Russ; brothers, Frank, Ludwig, Phillip, Alfred, Ernest, and Harold; sisters, Edith Engle, Ernestine Delia, Rose Staats, Susan Dambach, Minnie Lyle, Hilda Johnson, and Olga Brandt; and daughter-by-heart and niece, Carol Kirk.

The family wishes to thank Rowena Youngstrom and all the caregivers at the Welcome Home adult family home in Brush Prairie for the love and special care they provided for Tillie. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the Tillie Scholz Memorial Fund at Messiah Lutheran Church, Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland, Ore., or any children’s charity of your choice. Internment at Evergreen Memorial Gardens Cemetery. An outdoor celebration of life will be held in August of 2021.