Richard Paul Schmidt, 93, born September 23, 1931, in Kearney, MO, passed on Tuesday, January 7, 2025.
Richard was a lifelong resident of Arley, MO, where he attended school before going off to Kearney where he played basketball. He graduated from Kearney, MO, in 1949 with a class size of eight, where he would then follow in his father’s footsteps and become a farmer.
In 1951, Richard joined the Air Force and was stationed in Cheyenne, Wyoming, before shipping out to Korea where he would play on their softball team, serving for 4 years. Upon coming home, he would return to farming. In 1960 he married Mona Lee Peterson whom he had his
two children with, Barry and Susan, and bought his 2nd farm where they raised their family.
Richard farmed alongside his son Barry and grandson Matthew. Still mowing, raking hay, driving the grain cart tractor, hoeing weeds, and feeding their livestock of hogs and cattle well into his 90s.
Richard loved playing sports. He received many trophies for bowling and played on different leagues throughout the years with his friends. He also played horseshoes and competed in many tournaments, winning numerous awards. As of 2024, he was the oldest participating player in the state of Missouri.
Richard was preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Pauline (Sautter) Schmidt, and son-in-law, Rick Fouts.
He is survived by children, Barry Schmidt and Susan (Schmidt) Fouts; Barry’s wife, Linda (Ziegler) Schmidt, and their three children, Luke, Matt, and Rachel Schmidt; Matt’s wife, Katie, and their three children, Isabella, Wyatt, and Charley Mae; Rick’s son, Richard Fouts and his two children, Gunner and Tucker; as well as his sister, Carolyn (Schmidt) Craig and her husband, Keith Craig, their daughter, Barbara (Craig) Robinson and her husband, Dave Robinson, and their three children, Lauren, Allison, and Grant.
Richard was a beloved brother, father, uncle, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend. He was a dedicated farmer who found joy in the simple act of nurturing life from the soil and will be missed by all who loved him.
Services will be held a Arley United Methodist Church on Saturday, January 18, 2025. Visitation starts at 10 a.m. with funeral services immediately following at 11 a.m. with military honors.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Arley United Methodist Church.
Arrangements are in care of Fry-Bross & Spidle Funeral Home, Kearney.
