Paul Schmidt
SHAWNEE MISSION - Paul
Schmidt, 88, died Wednesday (April 9, 2008) at Shawnee Mission Medical Center.
He was born Oct. 19, 1919, in
Goessel, the son of Herman and Margaret Schmidt. They preceded him in death.
Paul's early years were spent
on the farm in the Goessel area and in Newton. He graduated from Newton High
School where he played as a guard on two Newton High School state championship
basketball teams for Frank Lindley in 1936 and 1937. He was selected All-Ark
Valley and All-State his junior and senior years. During his three varsity
years, the Newton basketball team won 47 games and lost six, losing the 1938
state championship by one point. He was known for his defensive tenancity and always
was assigned to guard the opposing team's leading scorer. He graduated from NHS
in 1938.
His NHS basketball career
allowed him to attend and graduate from the University of Colorado, where he
played basketball under former Newtonian "Frosty" Cox. The team won
the NIT tournament in New York in 1940. The team made a total of three trips to
New York to play in Madison Square Garden and other Eastern cities, appearing
in both the NIT and NCAA tournaments.
During World War II, he spent
four years in the Civilian Public Service Camps, mostly in administrative
functions.
He married Cathryn Erffmeyer
in 1945.
After the war he served two
years as controller of Bethel College in North Newton. Upon passing the CPA
exam, he and Cathryn moved to Kansas City, Mo., in 1948 to meet the required
experience for the license. He practiced as a CPA in the Kansas City area from
1948 to about 1997 with the firms JDM Crockett & Co., Schmidt & Co.,
and Schmidt, Cornish & Smith & Co.
He was a member of Lenexa
United Methodist Church since 2003 and Meyer Boulevard United Methodist Church
for more than 50 years, serving as church treasurer for more than 10 years. He
taught Sunday school many years and served on the administrative council, some
years as chairman. His early church experience was in the Newton area as a
member of Alexanderwohl Mennonite Church. He was a member of the Kansas City
Downtown Rotary Club for 51 years, the Missouri Society of CPAs, and various
peace organizations, and was active in the Southeast Community Council for many
years.
He is survived by Cathryn,
his wife of more than 60 years; three sons and families, Grant and Denise of
London, Ohio, Byron and Melissa of Columbus, Ohio, and Allan and Anne of
Overland Park; three grandchildren, Josh and Ashley of Ohio and Lea of Overland
Park; two nieces, Karla Voth and Sharon Glass; a nephew, Scott Voth; and a
stepsister, Dorothy Miller.
He also was preceded in death
by a younger sister, Wilma Voth.
Memorial services will be at
11 a.m. Saturday at the Mt. Moriah & Freeman Chapel, 10507 Holmes Road in
Kansas City, Mo. Visitation will be from 10 to 11 a.m. at the chapel prior to
the service.
Memorial gifts may be made to
Bethel College in North Newton, the Rotary Youth Camp in Lee's Summit, Mo., or
the church.
Funeral arrangements are
through Mt. Moriah & Freeman, (816) 942-2004.
