Aloysius Joseph Schmidt

Aloysius J. "Winnie" Schmidt, 89, Hays, died Friday, Jan. 20, 2017, at his home. He was born April 22, 1927, west of Schoenchen to Alex and Josephine (Werth) Schmidt.

He married Betty Schmidt on Nov. 5, 1951, in La Crosse.

He joined the U.S. Army in July, 1945, serving as an interpreter in Austria and Germany, and was honorably discharged in 1947. For many years, he worked for Hunter Construction and Graves Truck Line, where he retired after 32 years. He was a member of St. Nicholas of Myra Catholic Church, the Schoenchen Third Degree Knights of Columbus Council No. 4166, the Bishop Cunningham Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus, the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Forty & Eight. He enjoyed his family, friends, playing cards, working in the garden, fishing, woodworking and golf.

Survivors include his wife, of the home in Hays; a son, Dale Schmidt, Hays; two daughters, Cindy Schmidt, Gardner, and Ruth Legleiter and partner, Erik Eaton, Hays; two brothers, Melvin Schmidt, Hays, and Francis Schmidt and wife, Ann, Longmont, Colo.; two sisters; Josephine Haselhorst, Longmont, and Delores VanOudenhoven, Neenah, Wisc.; three grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren, Ben and Julie Ann Jacobs and their children, Banks and Bennett, Bree, and Chad O'Gara and their children, Sabryn, Gavin, Kamry, Brody, and Beckam, and Brent Legleiter and Holly Newell; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; four brothers, Edwin, Walter, John, and Irvin; and four sisters, Armella Miller, Rose Schmidt, Barbara Basgall, and Bertha Stary.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Nicholas of Myra Catholic Church; burial in St. Joseph Cemetery with military honors by the Hays VFW Post No. 9076 Honor Guard. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday and from 9 to 9:30 a.m. Monday at Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine, Hays, KS 67601. The Bishop Cunningham Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus will stand honor guard from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. A vigil will be at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, followed by a combined Third and Fourth Degree rosary at 7 p.m., both at the funeral home.

Memorials are suggested to First Call for Help, the Hays VFW Post No. 9076 Honor Guard, or Masses in care of the funeral home.

Hays Daily News, 1/21/2017