Mary E. Schmidtberger

Mary E. Schmidtberger, 82, passed away suddenly, Sunday, January 15, 2017. She was born in Victoria, Kansas, November 17, 1934. She was one of twelve children born to Pius and Anna (Sander) Leiker. Mary attended school in Victoria, Kansas, where she was a cheerleader and won awards for debate. She told the debate teacher that she would take the class, but didn’t want to take it for credit so she could quit if she didn‘t like it. Mary graduated from Victoria High School in 1952. After graduation, she worked as a telephone operator at the Victoria Telephone Company until she married Dan Schmidtberger on August 28, 1954. At the beginning of their married life, Dan and Mary farmed and operated a dairy farm south of Victoria. They farmed with Dan’s dad until 1962 when, due to Dan’s ill health, they moved to Hill City. Mary was a homemaker and did ironing for some teachers in her home they built at 404 North Eighth. Upon their arrival in Hill City, Dan and Mary registered at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish. The priest told Mary that a second grade religion teacher was needed. Mary volunteered immediately. She continued teaching second grade religion and first communion instruction for the next 20 years. During that time, Mary also started decorating the church along with Arvilla Juenemann, continuing with Jeanie Heiman when Arvilla moved. After Jeanie’s departure, decorating the church became group project with Mary leading the helm and Cheryl Roberts serving as her right-hand woman. She continued this ministry until her death. The Christmas decorations at the church were always beautiful and never exactly the same from year to year. In 1969, Dan and Mary bought the local automotive parts store, Hill City Automotive, where she was first- in-command serving as secretary/treasurer. They retired and sold the store in 1998 to Keith and Carol Underhill. Upon their retirement, Dan and Mary bought a motor home and enjoyed traveling with Errol and Cindy Conn. They went south for many winters to Harlingen, Texas, where they made many new friends. The motor home was sold this past year. She was a member of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Hill City, Kansas and the Altar Society. Survivors include her husband, Hill City; two daughters: Jeanne Lubbers and husband, John, Theodosia, Missouri; Judy Mitchell, Hays; two sons: DJ Schmidtberger and wife, Nicole, Tuscumbia, Alabama, and James, Russell, Kansas; two sisters: Acquina Rajewski and husband, Howard, Vincent, and Theresa Haselhorst, Hays; brother-in-law, George Gatschet, Hays; three sisters-in-law, Ada Leiker, Great Bend, Janice Leiker, Ellis, and Ann Leiker, Hays; four grandchildren, John Lubbers, Jr. (Sheri), Theodosia, Missouri, Joni Train (Shannon), Galva, Kellie Lee (Brian), Hays, Lacy Seib (Dustin), Blue Springs, Missouri; and nine great-grandchildren, Alex Lubbers, Christopher Lubbers, Blake Train, Lorelei Train, Caden Seib, Braylin Seib, Kailey Seib, Keira Lee and Colin Lee. She was preceded in death by her parents; five brothers: Gilbert, Robert, Elmer, Neon, and Laurian Leiker; and four sisters, Luella Dreiling, Armella Wasinger-Thompson, Rosaline Wiesner and Ethel Gatschet. Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, January 19, 2017 at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Hill City; burial in St. Fidelis Cemetery, Victoria.