Estelene Schmidt

Estelene (McCoy) Schmidt
Estelene was born May 12, 1926 at home in Big Flat, AR to Albert and Tisha McCoy. She died October 5, 2025.
Estelene was the second of seven children on the McCoy farm in Arkansas where they ate what they produced. Nestled deep within the heart of the Ozark National Forest, the McCoy rocky land was comprised of grazing land for mules, cows, hogs, chickens, and an array of wild critters. They also had a small orchard, vegetable garden, grain crops and cotton fields.
During the depression, Estelene was a young child and was taught to waste nothing: food or goods. They cured meats in the smokehouse, producing delicious hams she remembered fondly. The family canned meats and vegetables and stored their fresh produce in the cellar. Estelene also assisted her father in cutting logs into lumber at their sawmill.
The McCoy women, by necessity, were seamstresses, frequently making clothing for the family of nine. Depression years necessitated bartering for flour and sugar, purchasing salt and baking soda in town. For many years the family had only one hearty meal a day, usually fried chicken and biscuits.
Estelene valued children, and her love for them began as she supervised her five younger brothers during their multi-mile walk each day to the country school. She also cared for them while her parents worked in the fields, which prepared her for the multiple nannying jobs she enjoyed in town.
Estelene was the only child in her family to graduate from high school. Upon graduation, she realized Big Flat had little to offer and she headed for Little Rock to attend two years of business school, working in a grocery store to offset living expenses. She worked hard to earn extra money to buy new overalls for her brothers so they'd feel confident going to school.
Estelene traveled with her sister's family to the state of Washington and found work harvesting fruit in the orchards there. When harvest ended, they headed to Illinois in pursuit of work, later ending up in Wichita, Kansas, where they heard about work in the aircraft industry. Estelene landed a job at the O.A. Sutton Company winding motors for Vornado fans. At age 32, on August 14, 1958, she married Dennis Schmidt at West Side Christian Church in Wichita.
As a wife, she spent her days caring for her husband, then in 1960, her first son Mark was born, and in 1962, her second son, Kim. Estelene's young family moved to Derby in 1966, and in 1970, to rural Mulvane calling it home for nearly 40 years.
Estelene displayed generosity over her 99 years. She gave of her time, talents, and resources, frequently fixing someone's torn clothing or tailoring the size of improperly fitting clothing. From her rearing, she saved fabric scraps to create quilts for the mission field. Estelene would regularly buy clothes, toys, books, etc. for friends and extended family back home in Arkansas. She frequently planted an oversized garden so she could give away her extra produce.
The Evangelical Covenant Church became a large part of her life. She taught children's Sunday School classes for decades, growing in her faith as she taught the preschoolers. Her "famous" home baked pies were always sought out at the church's potluck dinners.
Dennis and Estelene's greatest joy was their grandchildren. They enjoyed two together before his passing. After losing Dennis in 1988, her family expanded with the births of four more beloved grandchildren. Always open for an overnighter with her grandkids, they have many fond memories of the ceiling horse swing, grilled cheese on the roof, climbing trees, picking mulberries, and being spoiled with Happy Meals and Taco Burgers.
At the age of 80, Estelene became a great-grandmother to the 1st of 17. A phrase you'd hear her say from time to time was, "I've lived a hard life, but I've lived a blessed life!" She cherished the next phase of babies that were her offspring.
When Estelene moved into town, she became a social butterfly in the senior living apartments where she regularly played cards, dominoes, and put together puzzles. She participated in monthly potlucks and birthday celebrations with all the residents, and she cherished every moment!
After becoming ill in 2022 with covid and pneumonia, Estelene moved in to her oldest son's home until her death. Estelene enjoyed many visitors in her final 3.5 years and leaves behind a legacy of love, kindness, generosity, and a love for her Savior.
The Celebration of Life will be 10/18/25 at 10:30AM at Salem Township Cemetery, 500 W 95th St S, Haysville, KS 67060 1/2 mile west of Broadway and 95th Street South, and then 1/4 mile north. https://maps.app.goo.gl/8ZwZ328HWFtdZfCFA
Visiting and lunch with family present, after the celebration of life, will be at Calvary Baptist Church (1636 E Patriot Ave, Derby, KS 67037).
In lieu of flowers, charitable donations, in honor of Estelene, may be given to:
Union Rescue Mission Wichita KS Donate: https://urmwichita.org/give-to-urm/memorial-honor-gifts/
Youth Horizons Donate: https://youthhorizons.mypaysimple.com/s/youth-horizons-online-donation-form
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