Florine R. Schmidt

Florine R. Schmidt passed away on Friday, March 9, 2012, at the Rooks County Hospital in Plainville, KS. Florine passed away peacefully in her sleep at the age of 96. She was born near Victoria, KS, December 26, 1915 to John M. and Catherine (Sanders) Rome. Her mother passed away when Florine was twelve years old. Florine (known to most everyone as Flo) attended grammar school in Victoria, KS. After leaving home in 1938, she worked at the American Can Co. in Chicago, IL, where she met her first husband, Samuel H. Neyland from Baton Rouge, LA, who was in the military at the time. Her son, Kenn Neyland, was born on November 2, 1939, as Richard Kenneth Neyland. After her husband Sam’s death in 1945, Flo and Richard returned to the Rome farm near Victoria, KS. They lived there a short time with father/grandfather John M. and siblings, Elizabeth, Norbert and Eddie. Flo’s other siblings Lioba, Rich and Millie had already married and left home. On May 20, 1947, at the Severin Church near Hays, Flo married Marcellus F. Schmidt, whom she had known before moving to Chicago. The new family of Flo, Marcellus and Richard lived a short time near Hays then moved to a farm near Zurich, KS, where Marcellus, an oilfield pumper, was closer to his wells. In 1958, Flo’s second child, Rhonda Ann Schmidt, was born. In 2003, at the age of 90, Marcellus died in a nursing home in Colorado of emphysema and congestive heart failure. Flo was an active member of the Plainville community for over fifty years. She was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church and Daughters of Isabella. She lived her life as a devout Catholic and homemaker, also working for a number of people around town. Most of all, for over twenty-five years, Flo was an integral part of the lives of Chuck and Shirley Comeau and their three sons, Adam, Alex and Collin. The Comeaus referred to her, affectionately, as Flotie. Flo’s main interests were keeping abreast of current affairs (reading the Plainville Times and the Salina Journal). She loved to work crossword puzzles but especially loved flower and vegetable gardening. Her pride and joy was her almost-famous zucchini bread, which she shared with friends and relatives, along with the produce from her gardens. She was an avid sports fan, rooting for the Jayhawk basketball team and the Colorado Rockies. Every night Flo would pray herself to sleep with the Rosary. Later when she was unable to go to church, she would watch the Mass on EWTN. Her two favorite saints were St. Anthony, whom she called on frequently when she misplaced things, but especially St. Therese the Little Flower. Flo is survived by her sister, Elizabeth Leikam of Hays, KS; daughter, Rhonda Horst and husband Bill of Denver, CO; son, Kenn Neyland, Plainville KS; grandsons, Robin Powell and Dan Neyland and great-grandson, Andrew Powell, of St. Petersburg, FL. A Memorial Mass is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Thursday, March 15, at the St. Fidelis Catholic Church in Victoria with Father Mike Scully officiating. There will be no visitation as Flo, like her husband, Marcellus, has chosen cremation. Inurnment will follow at the St. Fidelis Catholic Cemetery, Victoria, KS, Flo’s final resting place beside Marcellus. There will be a dinner at the VFW hall in Victoria following the inurnment. Memorials are suggested to the Rooks County Health Center, where Flo received such wonderful care, and may be sent in care of Moore-Overlease Funeral Chapel, 409 S. Cochran, Plainville, KS 67663. Condolences may be be sent to the family on our send your condolences link.