Due to an abundance of caution in this winter weather, Irene's services have been rescheduled. Please see below for new service date. 

Irene Mary Schimmels Blau, age 94, of Germantown, Wisconsin, passed away peacefully on December 25, 2023, surrounded by her family and caregivers.

Irene will be deeply missed by her husband of 73 years, Frank J. Blau, Jr., and her ten loving children. She was the devoted mother to: Joan (Jim) Morrissey, Jim (Lori), Frank (Gail), Tom (Cheryl), Bob (Susie), John (Anne), Janet (Jeff) Larsen, Mary (Tom) Brandt, and Bill (Lisa). Irene was a proud grandmother to 21 grandchildren: Meaghan, Katie, Steve, Mark, Diana, Kevin, Frank, Jack, Christine, Lisa, Angie, David, Kristy, Michelle, David, Jack, Anna, Jacob, Joseph, Sydney and Ella. She was also blessed with 32 great-grandchildren: Laila, Aldis, Allison, Lizzy, Alessandra, Colin, Blake, Chase, Colton, Aslan, Chelsea, Serena, Charlie, Hattie, Daniel, James, Caleb, Bradley, Penny, Patrick, Faith, Elizabeth, Jeremiah, Harper, Everly, Bennett, Lewis, Eloise, Lucy, Levi, Oliver and Theo. Irene was preceded in death by her son Stephen Francis, brothers Jack and Tom (Ginny) Schimmels, and daughter-in-law Anne Flynn Blau. She is further survived by nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

Irene was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on July 18, 1929, to the late Henry Ignatious and Irene Anna (Ewens) Schimmels. She attended St. Anne’s Grade School, Messmer High School and pursued higher education at Mount Mary College. After two years of college, she married Frank on October 21, 1950, at St. Sebastian Church and embarked upon a new journey of marriage, family, and motherhood. Irene never gave up on her academic goals. After 17 years of raising her family, she went back to Mount Mary College and graduated in 1983 with a BA in Art History and Communications.

Throughout the 1950s, Irene’s life was full and focused on her family, instilling in her children her life ethos: “Who we are is God’s gift to us. What we do is our gift to God.” Irene’s earliest gifts to God were her contributions to the Catholic community where she participated in church groups, women’s groups and numerous civic activities. Her local parishes over the years included: St. Albert’s in Milwaukee, St. Cecilia’s in Theinsville, St. Mary’s in Menomonee Falls and St. Boniface in Germantown. She was a Catholic Archdiocese Women’s Club member, parish cookbook illustrator; author, designer and publisher of “The Jesse Tree Story,” an Advent story book activity for young children.

The 1960’s were life-changing in many ways. The family business, Blau Plumbing, Inc. was founded in 1960. In 1963, the growing Blau family moved to a historic 1860 farmhouse in Germantown. Irene was fascinated by the architecture, craftsmanship and history of her own home and it fueled her enthusiastic and enduring interest in local history.

After a decade of research, sketching prominent buildings, and interviewing local families, she founded the Germantown Historical Society in 1974. Irene served as its President for 35 years (1974 to 2009), during which time she staunchly advocated for the preservation of Germantown’s history, most notably, the unique, six-corner Dheinsville Settlement. Irene also collaborated with her friend Bill Gay in developing a three-volume history of Germantown from 1838 - 2015. The establishment of the Dheinsville Settlement and the Germantown history book collection remain among her most prominent and established legacies.

Furthermore, Irene opened Sinter Klausen Christmas Markt on Main Street in Germantown in 1988. The treasured shop united her interests in history, art, German heritage, family Christmas traditions, and entrepreneurship and attracted loyal customers for over three decades.

For her leadership and many valuable community contributions, Irene was honored by both state and local organizations. She received the State Historical Society of Wisconsin’s Award of Merit in 1982; Germantown Chamber of Commerce’s Citizen of the Year Award in 1983 and their inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003; and Mount Mary College’s Madonna Medal for Outstanding Community Service in 1987.

In her “downtime,” Irene enjoyed wintering in Florida, creating beautiful art, traveling, reading, watching her favorite Wisconsin sports teams and enjoying golf tournaments on television. She was a great cook and hosted an array of family gatherings at the Blau Farmhouse. The annual family Christmas celebrations were truly memorable events.

The memories of Irene's abundant life and the impact she made on those who knew her will forever be cherished.

Special thanks and gratitude to the Harris Family - Lana, Shelley and Alyssa - who provided 24/7 care to Irene. They were instrumental in assuring Irene lived and died in peaceful harmony with God.

The visitation for Irene will be held at the Schmidt & Bartelt Funeral Home in Menomonee Falls, on Thursday, January 11, 2024, from 3:30PM until 6:30PM, with a time of eulogies starting at 6:00PM. A Mass of Christian burial will be at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Menomonee Falls, on Monday, January 15, 2024, at 10:00AM. A private burial will be held at Holy Cross Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made to the Germantown Historical Society’s Irene Blau Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 31, Germantown, Wisconsin 53022.