Irmgard Margot Schmidt Stokely June 28, 1939 – February 26, 2020 Irmgard S. Stokely (80), a resident of Oak Grove Healthcare Center, died on February 26, 2020 at Carolina Foothills Hospice House in Forest City following a period of declining health. Mrs. Stokely was formerly a long-time resident of Hickory and Connelly Springs. Irmgard Margot Schmidt was born June 28, 1939 in Heiligensee, Berlin, Germany, the fourth of six children of Wilhelm and Martha (Weis) Schmidt. She is survived in Germany by her sister Evi Gobel, her brother Gerhard along with nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her sisters Dorothea and Hildegard and her brother Manfred. She completed her secondary education in Berlin and was training as a nursing aide in 1958 when she met Willis (Bill) N. Stokely, a U.S. Army soldier stationed in the American-occupied sector of Berlin. After they began dating, Mr. Stokely extended his tour in order to remain in Germany a year longer and the couple became engaged in 1959. He was discharged in early 1960 and Irmgard immigrated to America when she turned twenty-one. They were married on August 13, 1960 in Charlotte, NC. The couple had four children and were married until Mr. Stokely’s death in 1978. Mrs. Stokely is survived by their children: Marcia of Falls Church, VA, Kimberly Lail (Mark) of Rutherfordton, NC, Sonya Adams of Falls Church, VA and Willis “Bill”, Jr. of Durham, NC. She is also survived by three grandchildren: Zane Lail, Ivey Lail and Sarah Adams. Prior to her husband’s death, Mrs. Stokely was primarily a homemaker. After 1978, she held a number of jobs, notably with Waldensian Bakeries and Duracell of Valdese, before returning to her first vocation as a home health/companion caregiver until her retirement in 2008. She was an avid bird watcher and expert gardener known for her green thumb. She enjoyed sewing and knitting and cooking for her family. Her (American-style) potato salad was judged the best they’d ever eaten by nearly everyone who tried it. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Hospice of the Carolina Foothills (PO Box 336, Forest City, NC 28043) or charity of the donor’s choice. The family is grateful for the care provided by Trinity Lutheran Home in Hickory, Oak Grove Healthcare Center in Rutherfordton and Carolina Foothills Hospice House in Forest City. A memorial service is planned for a later date.