Pearl was born August 2, 1925, in Ashley, ND to John and Caroline (Mertz) Schmidt. In the early 30's Pearl made the move with her family, from the community of Marsh, MT to the Sidney area. She came from a family of 5 boys and 7 girls. The move was made with a team and wagon piled high with all of their belongings. The children were in charge of driving the wagon down the road, while their parents brought the car down.
Their new home was a beet farm 3 miles southeast of Sidney close to the Yellowstone River bridge. The family raised large garden, hay for the cows, and feed for the chickens. Her Mom kept the family all fed with home made bread and fresh produce from the farm. Going to pick chokecherries was the highlight of summer. Pearl graduated from Sidney High School in 1943. After high school Pearl began her lengthy career in the banking business. She started at the Sidney National Bank, then on to the Richland National Bank, and lastly the First United Bank. Pearl married her beloved Henry “Hank” Hamburg, on June 29, 1947 in Sidney, MT. They had one son, Terry. They built their home near her parents' home. In later years Pearl worked as a clerk at the Lalonde Hotel. She was a perfect fit for this and had the time of her life. Her husband Hank died in March of 1993, and Pearl remained in Sidney.
Pearl’s home was always interestingly decorated with many figurines and pictures. Pearl was known for her stylish dress and matching jewelry. Being an active part of her church was very important to Pearl. She joined Sidney Lutheran Brethren Church on March 29, 1973.
Pearl came to live at Sidney Health Center Extended Care in 2008. The staff fell in love with her right away. Pearl was always willing to help others and so appreciative of our care for her. Pearl was a classy lady and that did not end when she moved in with us. The staff made sure she was always dressed with matching jewelry and nails. Pearl enjoyed gardening, yard work, crossword puzzles, cooking and baking. She also enjoyed sharing her recipes with everyone, especially her green bean soup.
Pearl gained her wings on Friday, March 10, 2017. Pearl’s gentle, kind spirit will be missed every day. We feel blessed to have taken care of her but we know 9 years was not enough time to love this beautiful woman.
Surviving her are: her son, Terry Hamburg of Colorado; her grandson, Jacob Henry Hamburg, Bozeman, MT; her brother, Erwin Schmidt, Nashua, MT; two sisters, Alma (Dale) Zadow, Richardton, TX and Amelia Hanlon, Maui, HI; several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded death by: husband, Henry “Hank” Hamburg; four brothers, Gottlieb Schmidt, Rienhold Schmidt, Otto Schmidt, and Theodore Schmidt; four sisters, Christine Baggot, Pauline Schmidt, Ella Barr, and Anna Becker.