Annemarie Pfeiffer

Annemarie Schulte Pfeiffer, 88, of Land O’ Lakes, Florida passed away peacefully on Friday, May 22, 2026, at her home surrounded by family. Funeral services will be conducted Monday, June 15, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. at St. Michael the Archangel Roman Catholic Church in Hudson, Florida.

Annemarie Michalak was born on November 9, 1937, in Zuellichau, Germany (currently Sulechow, Poland). She grew up as an only child in Germany during World War II. Her father, Alexius Michalak, was a soldier in the German Army. While he was away at war, Annemarie and her mother, Frieda (Kaczmarek) Michalak were displaced from their home ahead of invading forces. Her father was taken prisoner and after spending time in a prisoner of war camp in Hof, Germany, he was released and was reunited with Annemarie and her mother. Annemarie attended elementary and secondary school in Hof and afterwards completed her studies in business management at Kaufmannische Berufsschule Hof. 

On September 24, 1959, in Hof, Germany, Annemarie married an American Airman, Richard J. Schulte, stationed in Germany. In October of 1961, she and Richard moved to the United States where they raised their four children. On May 1, 1973, Annemarie proudly received her United States citizenship. She became an accomplished floral designer and enjoyed that work for more than 50 years. On March 21, 2005, her husband, Lt. Col. Richard J. Schulte, lost his battle with lung cancer.

On January 2, 2010, Annemarie married Col. Thomas J. Pfeiffer, whom she had known when she and Richard were stationed in San Antonio, Texas. They wed at St. James Catholic Church in Liberty, Missouri and settled down in Kansas City, Missouri from 2012 thru 2024. In April of 2024, Thomas succumbed to pancreatic cancer. After 14 years of marriage Annemarie began life as a widow again. But that is not the end of her story.

Our beloved mother had a gift that most people never develop, the ability to notice nature’s abundant beauty and make every living thing around her feel completely at ease. Animals knew it. People knew it. And those of us lucky enough to be her family knew it most of all.

She was a floral designer and nature lover for all her life, and that told you so much about who she was. She didn't just arrange flowers; she understood them. She understood that beauty deserves to be tended, that growing things need care and patience, and that there is something deeply worth paying attention to in the natural world.

She didn’t just appreciate the natural world; she lived inside it. She noticed things most of us walked past: the way light filtered through leaves on a late afternoon, the first wildflowers pushing through winter soil, the particular silence of a forest after snow, the unique texture of a rock. Nature wasn’t a backdrop to her life; it was the language she thought in. She shared herself selflessly and her love of nature with EVERYONE in her life.

She was our mother, our Oma, our friend, and our wildlife caretaker. The world was softer with her in it. She leaves behind everyone she ever took outside, everyone whose eyes she opened, and a deep, quiet love for this earth that will outlast all of us. May she rest in peace in the landscape she cherished.

We love you, Mom.

Annemarie was preceded in death by her parents, Alexius Michalak and Frieda (Kaczmarek) Michalak, her husband’s Richard J. Schulte and Thomas J. Pfeiffer, and her eldest son, Gerhard Tony Schulte.

Annemarie is survived by her children Kenneth J. (Mary) Schulte of Rainier, OR; Erica M. Pierovich of Land O’ Lakes, FL; and Deborah L. (Kenneth) Villani of Albany, GA. Also surviving are her three stepchildren: Erika B (Darrin) Malone of Fort Wayne, IN; John A. (Shannon) Pfeiffer of Olathe, KS, and Andrew T. (Jessica) Pfeiffer of Smithton, IL. She was a proud and loving grandmother of 19 grandchildren, and 14 great grandchildren. She also leaves behind numerous nieces, nephews, and friends.

The family will receive friends on Monday, June 15, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. at St. Michaels followed by a celebration of life luncheon at Catches in New Port Richey, Florida. Those wishing to send flowers can contact Beacon Woods Florist, 8139 S.R. 52, across from St. Michaels. Those wishing to donate to her favorite charitable cause can donate to Shriners Children’s by calling 844-739-0849 (M-F 8-5 ET).