Richard Schmidt
1929 - 2019
Obituary
North Newton - Richard Lee Schmidt, 89,
peacefully passed away April 9, 2019. He was born Dec. 4, 1929, in
Hutchinson, to John U. Schmidt and Marie Gaeddert Schmidt. As a
teenager, he studied Catechism and was baptized in First Mennonite
Church where his family was active. He attended Hutchinson schools
and played baseball on school teams and community teams. He graduated
from Hutchinson High school in 1948. Richard attended Bethel College,
where he was a baseball letterman.
In 1953, Richard married Josephine
Goering of Pretty Prairie. That same year, he was drafted into the
U.S. Army, stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. In 1955, he
returned to college at the University of Kansas and obtained a
Business and Marketing degree, which led to his employment with
Continental Oil Company.
A desire to have his own business led
Richard to contract with Western Auto Supply Company to open a retail
store in Clay Center. Richard and his family moved there in 1968,
where he and his wife, Josephine, owned and operated a Western Auto
Store; the store later became Our Own Hardware and Appliance. The
children - Steven, Alan, Karen and, later, Sarah - attended Clay
Center schools and also helped in the store.
The family was active in Clay Center's
Baptist Church. In October 1971, the second son, Richard Alan, age
14, contracted cancer and died in January 1972. Despite the grief and
hardship, Richard and Josephine continued with the store, which had
been open just three years.
After 27 years in business, Richard and
Josephine retired and moved to North Newton, where both became active
members of Faith Mennonite Church.
Richard is survived by his wife,
Josephine; son, Steven Schmidt and wife Sue of Darby, Montana;
daughter, Karen Thompson and husband Gary of Salina; and daughter,
Sarah Fleming and husband Sid of Iola. Grandchildren are Leslie
Thompson Hecker of Salina, Jesse Thompson of Austin, Texas, Leah
Schmidt of Darby, Montana, and Thomas Elsie and Luna Fleming of Iola.
Great-grandchildren are Kennedy, Grayson, Remy, Harper and Alexa.
Richard was preceded in death by his
son, Richard Alan; his parents, John and Marie Schmidt; his brother,
Raymond Eugene Schmidt and sister-in-law Esther Stucky Schmidt; and
great- granddaughter, Abigail Leslie Hecker.
Memorial service will be 11 a.m.
Saturday, June 1, 2019, at Faith Mennonite Church in Newton, with
Pastor Randy Smith officiating.
Memorials are suggested to Faith
Mennonite Church or Kidron Bethel Healthcare in care of Petersen
Funeral Home, 215 N. Main, Newton, KS 67114.
