Vernon Schmidt

Vernon Schmidt, 86, of Cortland died Wednesday night, Dec. 31, 2008, at the Gold Crest Retirement Center in Adams. He was born on May 6, 1922, at the rural Cortland family farm and attended Star country school near Hallam.

He was married to Velda Mae Cacek on Feb. 20, 1955, at the First Christian Church of Beatrice, and they lived and farmed west of Cortland. He was a member of Christ Lutheran Church of rural Pickrell, where he served on the church council. He was a former member of the Jayhusker Car Club. He enjoyed farming, raising livestock, restoring John Deere tractors and antique cars, and attending car shows and parades.

Survivors include two sons, Darrell Schmidt and wife Loree, and Dennis Schmidt and wife Gail, all of Cortland; one daughter, Karla DuPont and husband Keith of Lincoln; seven grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; two sisters, Berdine Juilfs of Lincoln and Ardyce Fuhrman and husband Ted of Cortland; one brother-in-law, LaMoine Cacek of Cortland; several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Herman and Marie Carstens Schmidt; his wife Velda, who died on Aug. 12, 2008; one sister, Phyllis Wollenburg and her husband John; sister-in-law, Verna Behrends and her husband Ed; brother-in-law, Richard Juilfs.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 3, 2009, at Christ Lutheran Church of rural Pickrell, with Pastor Nile Buch officiating. A family prayer service will be held at 10:15 a.m. Saturday at the church. A memorial has been established to the family's choice with Norman and Pat Wallman in charge. The body will lie in state at the Fox Funeral Home, 1116 N. 19th, Beatrice, until 9 p.m. Friday, and then at the church one hour preceding the service on Saturday. Following the funeral service, the body will be cremated and burial of the cremains will be at the Lincoln Memorial Park Cemetery of Lincoln on Monday, Jan. 5, 2009, at 10:30 a.m. A guest book for signatures and messages of condolence is available online at http://www.foxfuneralhome.net">www.foxfuneralhome.net. Fox Funeral Home of Beatrice is in charge of the arrangements.