Schmidt Family Obituaries

Phillips County Colorado

META A. (NIERMAN) SCHMIDT 

Holyoke Enterprise, Holyoke, CO, Feb 1991 

Meta A. (Nierman) Schmidt, daughter of Fred and Ida Nierman was born December 21, 1901. She was the fourth of six children. Meta was baptized on January 19, 1902, in Zion Lutheran Church at Plainview, Nebraska. 

Her family moved from Plainview to Amherst when she was a young child. She attended school in Amherst. She was confirmed in the Christian faith in St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Amherst on April 16, 1916. 

On November 26, 1922, in St. Paul's Lutheran Church, she was united in marriage to Eldor (Dick) Schmidt. To this union three daughters were born, Elda, Lorraine and Rose Maria. They lived and farmed southeast of Amherst. When her husband died in 1972 Meta moved from the farm into Holyoke. 

Meta dearly enjoyed being with her family and looked forward to each opportunity for family gatherings. She not only liked to visit but also liked playing cards. She was active in Senior Citizens for many years. It was only when her health failed the past few years that she was no longer able to attend the Senior Citizen activities. 

Meta was active within the community over the years, but she was most active within the church. She was a faithful member of St. Paul's in Amherst from the time her family moved into the area until she moved to Holyoke in 1972. At that time she joined Zion Lutheran Church. Her devotion to her Savior led her to work hard in the church in a variety of activities. She was active in Ladies Aid and especially enjoyed quilting. She did this until her eyesight and health would no longer allow her to do it. 

She departed this life on February 4, 1991. She had been living at the Gray Cara Home in Keenesburg. Prior to her move to Keenesburg she had lived at Betty's Place in Holyoke. 

She was preceded in death by her husband, Eldor (Dick); her parents, Fred and Ida Nierman; two sons-in-law, Werner Lehman and Paul Kerstner; three brothers, Otto, Clarence and Fritz; and two sisters, Esther Schmidt and Alena Snyder. 

She is survived by her daughters, Elda Exstrom and husband Gus of Holyoke, Lorraine Kerstner of Denver and Rose Maria Schaeffer and husband Dwaine of LaSalle; two brothers-in-law, Art Schmidt of Holyoke and W.H. Schmidt and wife Mabel of Amherst; 12 grandchildren; 33 great grandchildren; and a host of other relatives and friends. 

Funeral services were held on February 8, 1991 in Zion Lutheran Church. Rev. Gary A. Rahe officiated. Burial was in the Amherst Cemetery. 

Theresa S.(Schnase) Schmidt 

Holyoke Enterprise, Holyoke, Colorado, August 14, 1941 

FUNERAL HELD FOR PIONEER OF COUNTY 

Mrs. Julius Schmidt of Amherst Dies after Short Illness (By Amherst Correspondent) 

Funeral services were conducted yesterday afternoon at the St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church at Amherst for Mrs. Julius Schmidt, a pioneer resident of Phillips County who died Sunday evening following a short illness. 

The service was held at 2 o’clock with the pastor, Rev. Harold Brauer officiating. Burial was made in the Amherst Cemetery. 

Mrs. Schmidt died at 7:15 o’clock at the Holyoke Hospital, where she had been a patient four days. She entered the hospital for medical treatment on Thursday after she had suffered a severe heart attack at her home. At the time of her death she was 68 years, 6 months, and 21 days old. 

Theresa S. Schnase, daughter of John and Friederike Guse Schnase was born January 20, 1873 near Friend in Saline County, Nebraska. She was baptized and confirmed in the Evangelical Lutheran Church and attended the parochial school and public schools in the Friend, Nebraska community. She was married to Julius Schmidt March 2, 1896 at Friend. Following their marriage they established their home on a farm near Friend where they resided until the fall of 1909 when they moved to Amherst and located n a homestead. Mr. and Mrs. Schmidt retired from the farm in 1917 and established their home in Amherst. 

The deceased, a member of the Amherst Lutheran Church and a charter member of the St. Paul’s Lutheran ladies aid, is survived by her husband; three sons, Arthur, Eldor and Wilfred of Amherst; two daughters, Mrs. Walter Leben of Amherst and Mrs. Ervin Einspahr of Holyoke; four sisters, Mrs. Albert Krueger of Blue Hill, Nebraska, Miss Mathilda Schnase of Brighton, Mrs. William Grandorff of Cordova, Nebraska and Mrs. Henry Rodeman of Sterling; two brothers, Charles Schnase of Hastings, Nebraska and John Schnase of Exeter, Nebraska; and 16 grandchildren. One son, Carl, preceded her in death, he having died in infancy in 1915. 

WILFORD HENRY "BILL" SCHMIDT 

Holyoke Enterprise, Holyoke, CO, 1 Feb 1996 

Wilford Henry "Bill" Schmidt 

Wilford Henry "Bill" Schmidt of Amherst was born July 1, 1903 in Cordova, Saline County, Nebraska to Julius and Teresa Schnase Schmidt. He died Sunday, January 28, 1996 at Melissa Memorial Hospital in Holyoke. Bill was baptized in St. John's Lutheran Church on August 2, 1903 in Cordova. At the age of 6 he moved with his parents to Amherst. His parents were charter members of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Amherst and he was confirmed there on April 1, 1917. Bill's parents started farming east of Amherst and eventually he and his two brothers, Art and Dick Schmidt, began farming together. 

On December 21, 1932 he married Mabel C. Kumm at St. Paul's Lutheran Church. To this union one daughter, Doris, was born. Schmidt was very active in the church and held a number of offices including elder and trustee. As a wheat farmer, he especially looked forward to his favorite time of year, wheat harvest. Bill also enjoyed hunting, fishing and sports. 

He and Mabel resided in the same location southeast of Amherst from the day they were married. They recently celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary. 

Preceding him in death were his parents Julius and Teresa; brothers Carl, Dick and Art; sisters Anna Leben and Elnora Einspahr; brothers-in-law Walt Leben, Ervin Einspahr, Ben Rafert and Leonard Wacholtz and sisters-in-law Esther, Blanche and Meta Schmidt. 

Survivors include wife Mabel Schmidt of Amherst; daughter Doris Schilke and husband Kermit of Imperial, Nebraska; grandsons Donald and wife Christine, John and wife Theresa and Timothy and wife Lisa, all of Imperial; four great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law Irene Rafert of Amherst and Lola Wacholtz of Holyoke, and numerous nieces and nephews. 

Services were scheduled for Wednesday, January 31, 1996 at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Amherst with Rev. Harold Rathjen officiating. Interment to be in the Amherst Cemetery.