John James Schmidt

Mr. Schmidt died Thursday, July 8, 2004, at Hays Medical Center.

He was born March 27, 1926, on a farm west of Schoenchen, the son of Alexander and Josephine Werth Schmidt.

Mr. Schmidt was a farmer. He also served as Smokyhill Township assessor, Schoenchen school board member, Hays Co-op board member, and past president of Ellis County Farm Bureau.

He was a member of St. Nicholas of Myra Catholic Church, and he was a church committeeman of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Schoenchen. He served as a district deputy and grand knight in the Knights of Columbus.

He married Delphine Graff on May 2, 1949, in Marienthal. She survives of the home.

Other survivors include two sons, Donald James, Salina, and Stanley Joseph, Carthage, Mo.; two daughters, Marybeth Mermis, Lawrence, and Janet Koerner, Hays; three brothers, Aloysius and Melvin, both of Hays, and Francis, Longmont, Colo.; two sisters, Josephine Haselhorst, Longmont, Colo., and Delores Van Oudenhoven, Neenah, Wis.; 12 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.

Friends may call from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. today and 8:30 a.m. to 9:15 a.m. Saturday at Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral home.

The Bishop Cunningham Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus will stand honor guard at 6 p.m. today at the funeral home, where there will be a parish vigil service at 7 p.m. and a combined Third and Fourth Degree Knights rosary at 7:30 p.m.

The family suggests memorials to the Mary Elizabeth Maternity Home, Holy Family Elementary or Thomas More Prep-Marian High School Endowment Fund, sent in care of the funeral home, 20th and Pine, Hays 67601.