Melvin Schmidt

Kearney resident, 84

KEARNEY - Melvin W. Schmidt, 84, of Kearney died Thursday, Nov. 18, 2010, at Good Samaritan Hospital.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Holy Cross Lutheran Church with the Revs. Jack Heck and Duane Duley officiating. Burial will be at 1 p.m. at Elm Creek Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. today at Horner Lieske McBride & Kuhl Funeral and Cremation Services and one hour before services Tuesday at the church. The family will be present during visitation today.

He was born March 19, 1926, in York to Otto T. and Augusta E. (Heineke) Schmidt.

On Sept. 12, 1948, he married Esther Seemann in Potter. She died in May 2010.

Survivors include his sons, Allan Schmidt and his wife, Linda, of Elm Creek, Elton Schmidt and his wife, Beth, of Belton, Mo., and Wayne Schmidt of Shelton; daughter, Janice Sawtelle and her husband, Harold, of Omaha; grandchildren, Kathy Swinarski, Tara Beezley, Rebecca Schmidt, Mark Schmidt, Dominic Sawtelle, Christina Peters, Thomas Sawtelle, Luke Sawtelle, Rose Sawtelle, Matt Schmidt, Ben Schmidt, Sarai Schmidt, Amy Johnson and Quincy Schmidt; and great-grandchildren, Samantha Beezley, Tyler Swinarski, Cody Swinarski, Kadyn Schmidt, Keyan Schmidt, Maddilyn Peters, Madison Schmidt, Lillie Crum, Kaylie Johnson and Dylan Johnson.

He was baptized at St. Paul Lutheran Church north of York and confirmed at St. John's Lutheran Church in Waco on April 2, 1939. During high school, he was a member of several theater plays and shows. Melvin graduated from Waco High School in May 1943.

He reported for military service, but the war was over and he was sent home.

He continued his education by attending and receiving a diploma from the National Institute of Meat Packing in Mundelein, Ill., in October 1970.

He and Esther lived on a farm in Waco until moving to Elm Creek in March 1969 to farm. After retiring from the farm in Elm Creek in November 1988, they made their home in Kearney.

Melvin grew up on a farm, and his first job was on a neighbor's farm at age 13, where he worked as an adult, full time, during the summer. He worked at hay mills in Elm Creek and Odessa, plus he worked in the livestock sale barns in Lexington, Holdrege, Loup City, Ord and Kearney. He was injured and lost his leg due to that injury in April 1997.

When he retired from farming, he continued other types of work at Walmart (for more than 10 years even after losing his leg) as a door greeter and as an assembly handyman.

Melvin and Esther had many gatherings at their home in Waco, Elm Creek and Kearney for birthdays and holidays. He enjoyed being with his grandkids and spending time with family, friends and neighbors. Melvin and his wife moved into St. John's Good Samaritan Center in 2007 and enjoyed living there and spending time with the staff and residents.

He was a member of Holy Cross Lutheran Church.

In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by his parents and his brothers, Clarence and Robert.

Memorials are suggested to Holy Cross Lutheran Church.

Visit www.hlmkfuneral.com to leave a message of condolence, tribute or memory.