Eleanor “Grandma Birdie” (Schmidt) Bollman

Eleanor “Grandma Birdie” (Schmidt) Bollman, age 95, of Mt. Washington, passed from this Earth to walk in the Eternal Gardens of Heaven on Monday, June 23, 2025. Beloved mother and friend of Elisa (Drew) Wallace and Eric (Judy) Bollman. Treasured Nana of Nathan Wallace (Taylor Jamison). Dear sister of David (Kathy) Schmidt. Dear aunt of Michael (Diane) Schmidt, Kenneth (Lynn) Schmidt and the late Melissa Schmidt.

From early years, Eleanor was sharing her God-given talents and creating beauty with needle and thread, scissors and paper, and
rake, shovel and seed.

Growing up in a dreary neighborhood, on an unpaved street, she taught herself to sew and garden, made her first dress at 11, and planted her first Victory Garden at 12.

She attended Cargo School, Prospect Junior High, and graduated from South Hills High School at age 16. She was a life long member of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church until its closing and then joined the Bailey Avenue Presbyterian Church where she served as Deacon.

After graduation, she was employed by Keystone National Bank, which later merged with Colonial Trust Co. In later years, she managed Station Square Flowers at Station Square, and was employed as secretary-bookkeeper at the Cavalier Hotel in Virginia Beach and Beinhauer’s in Pittsburgh.

In summer, her passion turned to gardening, and she would raid vacant lots and trash piles for trees, plants and seeds to create a bit of green beauty and a haven for the birds and small wildlife that began to seek and find food and shelter there. "Birdie". as she
was called, would never refuse help to a lost or injured animal or a neglected plant. Many of these, birds, animals, and plants were dropped at her door in following years, and all were taken in for shelter and healing.

In 1993, after 30 years work, Eleanor's backyard was awarded certification as a NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION BACKYARD HABITAT, and in 2003 she received Allegheny County's PARTNERS WITH THE ENVIRONMENT AWARD for giving freely of her time and talents to beautify the neighborhood.

With gardens established, she volunteered to teach her "Creative Arts of Long Ago" at many Senior Centers and Church Groups, including "Lifespan" and "Oasis" where she taught classes in paper arts of "SCHERENSCHNITTE", "ORAGAMI", "QUILLING", and fabric quilting for a total of 17 years.

Her talents for dressmaking, embroidery, eggery, and German Christmas crafts were well known on Mt. Washington, and she won many awards at craft shows and the Old Allegheny County Fair in South Park, where her needlework won "Best of Show" 

An avid birder, backyard conversationist, and creative artist, in her quiet unassuming way, she turned weeds into roses, and clouds into rainbows. With patience, kindness, love and compassion for all God’s creatures, she brought so much joy to others. With her fantastic imagination and self-taught creative skills, and with the Lord as her guide, she made everything beautiful.

Family and friends welcome Friday, June 27, 2025 from 2-8 pm at WM. SLATER & SONS INC. (412-381-3345) 301 Virginia Ave., Mt. Washington 15211 where a service will be held on Saturday, June 28, 2025 at 10:00 am. Burial to follow in Jefferson Memorial Park. If desired, contributions may be made to Animal Rescue Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, 6000 Verona Rd., Verona, PA 15247. 

www.slaterfuneral.com

WHERE SHE GOES, A GARDEN GROWS