Lorna Prochaska Schmidt was born in Virginia, Nebraska, on November 8 , 1931, to John and Anna Prochaska, the second of two daughters. Her older sister, Erma, preceded her in death in 2009. Her father was a butcher and meat packer and died in 1938 when Lorna was six years old from an infection which developed following a laceration to a finger. Following this, Lorna, her mother and sister, lived in very poor conditions in Southeast Nebraska, with her mother performing sewing and seamstress work, the sisters selling eggs and baked items, as well as doing subsistence farming.

Lorna was brought to faith in Christ by the ministry of an itinerant preacher during her high school years, and following graduation from Table Rock High School, attended St. Paul College of the Bible, an institution of the Christian and Missionary Alliance. Following her graduation from St. Paul, she moved to Omaha, where she entered Immanuel School of Nursing. It is during this time that she was introduced to Dennis Schmidt by his sister, Dorothy. After graduating and becoming a registered nurse, she worked at Immanuel Hospital while Dennis completed his medical school studies.

They were married on August 2 , 1958, at the Methodist church in Table Rock. Her first son, Jeffrey, was born in January 1961 during their time in Omaha. After the completion of Dennis' internship, they moved to Greenville, Mississippi where he served in the Air Force for two years. Lorna began her service to her family as a homemaker. She welcomed their second son, Steven, in December 1962 . Shortly thereafter they moved to St. Louis, Missouri, where she would raise her family. She was an avid sports fan, with a special interest in the St. Louis Cardinals, taking her sons to day games during the summer, especially to watch her favorite pitcher, Bob Gibson. She enthusiastically rooted for her children during their years of playing little league sports and would be overcome with emotion rooting for her beloved Nebraska Cornhusker football team, especially during their classic confrontations with the dreaded Oklahoma Sooners. She excelled at sewing, making just about all of her clothes and spent many hours in her sewing room. She also was an excellent baker, making pies with seemingly effortless excellence. She became a leader in Bible Study Fellowship for many years and had discipling relationships with several younger women.

Lorna moved with her husband, Dennis, to the Green Bay, Wisconsin area in 2017. She is survived by her sons, Jeffrey John Schmidt (Elizabeth) of Boaz, Kentucky, Steven Clifford Schmidt (Kathryn) of Green Bay, Wisconsin, and grandchildren Sarah Rapp (married to Nathan Rapp), Peter Schmidt (Grayson), Nathan Schmidt, John Schmidt and Seth Schmidt, children of Jeff and Beth; Matthew Schmidt and Maura Schmidt, children of Steve and Katie. She is also survived by great grandchildren Evelyn and Jackson Rapp, and Lydia and Noah Schmidt.