Betty Schmidt

Elizabeth (Betty) V. Schmidt, of rural Newton, greeted the Lord on June 7, 2023. Betty was born December 23, 1930, the daughter of Stanley and Elveena Jones of Dodge City, Ks. She grew up in Dodge City until moving to Belle Plaine in the early 1940’s and finally moving to Newton as a sophomore in high school.

Betty had many fond memories of all the places she lived. Once, while sunbathing on a sand bar along the Little Arkansas River, with her mother, they found a fresh water pearl, which was later mounted as a ring. A highlight for Betty was on April 7, 1945, she attended the silent film by Cecil B. DeMille’s, King of Kings. This was the day she accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Saviour. While in high school Newton she told of talent contests at the old Fox Theater. She had participated in competition there, as she loved to sing. After graduating from high school she attended comptometer school and worked as a bookkeeper for a short time at a flour mill in Wichita.

Betty was a homemaker who loved to cook and she was a very good cook, indeed. She could roll out a perfect pie crust every time. There were many harvests that she would take meals to the field to feed family. She was a seamstress who had a tailor’s talent. She loved to garden.

In 1950 Betty was united in marriage with Orville E. Schmidt. He preceded her in death. They had three children, Ricky L. Schmidt (deceased), Larry T. (Diana) Schmidt of rural Sedgwick and Jill A. (Tony) Gonzalez of Newton. There are 31 and counting, between grandchildren to great great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her sister, Judy Jones and brother, Robert Jones.

Viewing will be at Petersen Family Funeral Home on Tuesday, June 13, 2023 with family receiving guests from 6-8pm. Memorial celebration will be 11:00 a.m. Friday, July 28, 2023 at Greenwood Cemetery in Newton Kansas.

Memorials are suggested to Salem United Methodist Church, in care of Petersen Family Funeral Home.