IN MEMORIAM
EXPANDED EULOGIES
Archie Schmidt
A celebration of life service for rural Peabody resident Archie Alan Schmidt, 72, whose life was ended by an aggressive brain tumor Jan. 17, 2021, will be 2 p.m. Aug. 14, 2021, at Tabor Mennonite Church, Newton.
Masks are required, and social distancing will be observed.
Archie was born Oct. 3, 1948, to Art A. and Ruth (Unrau) Schmidt and was raised with his two sisters on a rural Walton dairy farm.
He attended school in Walton and Goessel and at Bethel College, studying industrial arts and participating in an urban sociology course in Wichita. He also played soccer with the Bethel College international soccer club.
Archie spent time in construction, building custom homes, helping a friend with concrete work, dairy farming and dry-land farming with his parents, and custom haying.
Archie volunteered his construction and woodworking skills numerous times with Mennonite Disaster Service, Camp Mennoscah, and Tabor Mennonite Church and as a woodsman with Kauffman Museum’s Kansas Day.
Archie built a home for his family and much of the furniture in it. He enjoyed crafting items from wood he harvested and milled into lumber for Kansas Mennonite Relief Sale.
He was a regular blood donor for the American Red Cross, donating 97 pints. He served lengthy terms on the boards of the Harvey County Milk Haulers and Doyle Creek Watershed District.
Archie enjoyed riding his motorcycle and bicycle, reading, crocheting afghans, gardening, a variety of sports, and road trips.
One of the highlights of Archie’s life was the 2¼ years he served with Mennonite Central Committee in Bolivia. He helped with a school garden, managed a chicken egg incubator, and built desks for the school and a large medicine cabinet for the medical clinic.
He learned to speak Spanish and was introduced to the game of soccer. The adventure continued when Archie and a fellow volunteer purchased motorcycles in Panama City and headed home through Central America, Mexico, and the States.
Archie was a lifelong member of Tabor Mennonite Church, where he enjoyed following the scripture by reading in his Spanish Bible during morning worship.
He served as a youth sponsor, trustee, and peace committee member and was currently serving as one of the Tabor Church liaisons for the MCC Sale.
Archie adapted to a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease before an aggressive brain tumor ended his life.
He was a loving husband and dad who delighted in his children and loved to see their interests grow into their occupations. He enjoyed kicking a soccer ball back and forth with his granddaughter. He was a kind and gentle soul. We miss his presence.
Surviving family include wife of 47 years Kristin (Matthies) Schmidt, daughters Jody Schmidt and Katy Schmidt, son Luke Schmidt, daughter-in-law Sarah Shorthill Schmidt, granddaughter Eva Schmidt, sister Ada Schmidt-Tieszen, brothers-in-law Wes Schmidt-Tieszen and Verlin Bartel, and an extended family of in-laws, nieces, nephews, and great-nieces and great-nephews.
Archie was preceded in death by son Alan Schmidt, parents Art and Ruth Schmidt, sister Elaine Schmidt Bartel, and brother George Schmidt.
Donations in memory of Archie may be made to Mennonite Central Committee in care of Jost Funeral Home, PO Box 266, Hillsboro KS 67063.