Veronica Anne Schmid, 76, of Merrillville, Indiana, passed peacefully with her family by her side on December 16, 2025. Veronica was a generous, loving, compassionate wife, mother, grandmother and friend who loved and cherished her family and friends.

Veronica was born in East Chicago, Indiana, in 1949 to Helen and George Balog. Veronica was raised in a home rich with Romanian culture and traditions. She hosted pig and lamb roasts with family and friends, Romanian picnics, homemade wine making, and making Carnati at Christmas. From an early age, Veronica was a hardworking and devoted daughter, helping her parents at their family-owned grocery store. She loved gardening, ceramics, cooking, music and spoiling her grandchildren.

She lived for family and friend gatherings and holidays, with Christmas being her favorite. Veronica also especially enjoyed traveling, with some of her favorite destinations being Greece, Egypt, Australia, Cuba and England.

After graduating from Bishop Noll Institute, she attended Valparaiso University and received a master’s in education. She taught Special Education at Lew Wallace High School in Gary Indiana for over 30 years. In 1994, she won Rookie Teacher of the Year through the Council for Exceptional Children for the state of Indiana. Veronica was also a member of AAUW, LCRTA and the Teachers’ Union Committee at Lew Wallace.

She was a member of New St. George Romanian Orthodox Church.  Veronica loved being a wife and mother and she adored her grandchildren. She spent many sunny days in her pool with her grandchildren, providing them with excessive amounts of fun, sugar, and candy. She made every event, birthday and holiday special with elaborate decorating, making signs sprayed with glitter, and baking delicious cakes. Her favorite saying was “We are making a memory!”

Veronica is preceded in death by her husband Howard Leon Schmid. She is also preceded in death by her parents, Helen and George Balog; and sister, Suzanne Balog.

She is survived by her children: David Witt (Moni), Monica Witt (Kurt Schmutz) and Sandra Bukur(Schmid); and grandchildren: Amalia Rosu, Maxwell Witt, Samantha Witt, Gianna Witt-Schmutz, Danijela Bukur, Vesna Olivier and Djurica Bukur; and four great-grandchildren; as well as other special family, Douglas M. Witt (Michele) and Victoria Isenstadt (Paul) and nephews: Mark and Jeffrey. Veronica also leaves behind many special friends, including Marlene Gikas and her “club” girls.

Both Visitation and Funeral Service will be held at Calumet Park Funeral Chapel at 7535 Taft Street, Merrillville, IN.

Visitation: Monday, December 29, 2025, from 4-8 pm.

Funeral Service: Reverend Father Ioan Ionita officiating. Tuesday, December 30, 2025, at 10:30 am.

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