Brooke Schmaltz

Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant

It is with great sadness that the family of Brooke Schmaltz announces her passing after an almost 7-year battle with Stage 4 Breast Cancer, on Saturday, December 9, 2023, at the age of 43.

Brooke was born August 20, 1980, to Mark and Carol (Kaufmann) Trehey in La Crosse, WI. She attended First Lutheran School in La Crosse and graduated from Luther High School in Onalaska. High School is where she met the love of her life, but she did not date Chad Schmaltz until she was attending WesternTechnical College. Brooke and Chad were married June 11, 2005, and were blessed with three children, one angel baby in heaven and two boys Malachi and Declan.

Being a wife and mother was always Brooke’s dream and she did an amazing job at both. Her three boys loved her, and she made sure the boys had a good Christian education and they were raised with a respect for others. Brooke was a “boys’ mom”. She loved nothing more than watching her boys play backyard football or attending any sporting event Malachi was playing in at the time. Chicago Cubs were their favorite team to watch and if they were not all watching them play on TV, they were at Wrigley Field enjoying a game.

She was loved and will be remembered by so many people that she touched throughout her life. We have no doubt her faith in God was larger than a mustard seed and was one of the strongest women most had ever met. After her Cancer diagnosis she endured so many chemo treatments which kept her going to continue raising her boys and spending time with family and friends. She had a saying that the family used over and over through her journey. We find our “New Normal”. And that’s who she was, it didn’t matter what news the scans would bring. It was always OK let’s go and onto the next. She would take a cry day, and then tomorrow brings a new day. We enjoy today and we don’t sweat the small stuff. We live life to the fullest, for tomorrow is not guaranteed. “God has a Plan” and her faith carried her through this journey.

Brooke also worked many jobs, Culvers, Manny’s, Target and EO Johnson where she met many lifelong friends, but her work at First Lutheran School in La Crosse is where she met her support team. Her support team really became extended family over the last few years. Relationships and memories made that will last forever. Being connected to a strong Christian family really helped Brooke push through the bad days. Those same people were by her side to celebrate the good days and make those memories with her.

Brooke is survived by her husband Chad, their sons Malachi (12) and Declan (9), parents Mark & Carol Trehey, brother Ben (Beth) Trehey , and their children Owen and Ava Trehey, mother in-law Lori Schmaltz, grandmother, Carol Trehey, sister-in-law Lisa (David) Carlson, nephews Jonathan (Kelsey), Jacob (Katelyn), Tyler & Timothy, sister-in-law Susan (Richard) Lusk and their children Justin Zierfus, Autumn, Alannah, Darren, Willow, Aelynn, along with her God children, Mackenzie Van Loon, Darren Lusk, Owen Trehey, Eleanor Molkenthine & Blakelynn Schultz.

She was preceded in death by their angel baby, grandmother, Ina Kaufmann, grandfather, Lawrence Kaufmann, grandfather, Kenneth Trehey and father-in-law Daniel Schmaltz.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, December 20, 2023 at First Evangelical Lutheran Church, 400 West Ave. S., La Crosse, WI. Pastors Richard Pamperin and Josh Schultz will officiate. Visitation will be held on Tuesday from 4-7 PM at Schumacher – Kish Funeral Home, 200 West Ave. S. and again from 10 AM until the time of service at the church on Wednesday. Burial will be held at a later date in the Onalaska City Cemetery.

The family would like to thank Dr. Leah Dietrich, Gundersen Clinic Oncologist and the many people from Hospice that visited and took great care of Brooke.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred and will go towards Malachi and Declan’s education.