Roxie Yakle Schmitz

 Roxie Yakle Schmitz, 64, of Dunedin, FL, passed away on July 8, 2021. Roxie was born in Quincy, IL and spent her early years in Illinois. In 1962, her family moved to Florida, where Roxie attended schools in Largo and Dunedin. After graduating from Dunedin High School, Roxie earned a B.S in microbiology from the University of Central Florida. Throughout her career she worked as a lab technologist, environmental scientist, and chemist, performing microbiological analysis and managing lab operations that spanned from food safety to quality control for water treatment plants. She was fond of warning friends and family of the dangers of eating raw oysters.

Roxie had an enduring love for the Yakle Farm in Timewell, Illinois. She enjoyed exploring the land in search of arrowheads and seeking out the "Light" and "Dark" caves in the surrounding area. She had a keen interest in ancestry and lore surrounding the Farm and cherished its artifacts and antiques. Her love for antiquing grew throughout her life and she particularly enjoyed collecting small and decorative boxes, tucking away Indian Head pennies and other interesting coins within them.

Roxie, following in her mother's footsteps, was understanding and generous in her kindness to all. She was especially kind to animals. She adopted many stray cats throughout her life and dedicated much of her free time to tenderly caring for animals in shelters where she often volunteered. She had a true gift for providing gentle comfort and love to animals who needed it most. Her compassion even extended to wild animals when she befriended backyard raccoons, her generosity undeterred by an inevitable bite and the rabies shots that followed.

Roxie was adventurous in her younger years. She was a skilled scuba diver as well as a skydiving enthusiast. She enjoyed exploring central Florida's springs and caves in search of fossilized shark teeth and indigenous bone carvings. Throughout her life, she was an avid Science Fiction fan who loved the original Star Trek series and the character Spock most of all.

In later years Roxie wrote poetry and loved to play percussions. She became a devoted member of her church, Tallahassee Calvary Chapel, where she treasured the community and friends she found there. Above all, Roxie loved her daughter, Cassie Schmitz Cornish, and took great joy in the days she spent with her and in learning of the birth her granddaughter.

Roxie was preceded in death by her father, James Russell Yakle, and her mother, Betty Kaylor Yakle. She is survived by her daughter, Cassie Yakle Cornish and husband Mike; her granddaughter, Jewel Cornish; and her brother, Steven Yakle and wife Cindy, and sister, Linda Yakle.

Cremation has been accorded and graveside services will be held at a later date in the Mounds Cemetery near Timewell, Illinois.

The Hendricker Funeral Home in Mt.Sterling is assisting the family with the local arrangements.

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