Merle W. Schmidt

Merle W. Schmidt age 82, (formerly of Chapman) passed away at Meadowlark Hills in Manhattan on February 21, 2022.

Merle was born on October 3, 1939 in Kansas City, Missouri the son of Carl O. and May A. (Ruhnke) Schmidt. He attended Carry Creek Grade School and was a 1957 graduate of DCCHS in Chapman and attended Kansas State University before returning to the family farm in Rural Chapman to help his father raise Herford cattle, and grains. Along with farming Merle owned Town and Country Speed and Custom Shop in Junction City. The family then moved to the family farm full time in 1966.

Merle married Sharon “Kay” Bigham of Milford on December 8, 1962 in Miami, Oklahoma. They were the parents of three children Daniel, Jana, and Raelynn.

Merle and his family raised nationally recognized purebred Yorkshire swine. They won many state and national shows and had many return customers. As a pork producer, he was very active promoting the pork industry with membership in local, state, and national organizations. They also established Liberty Landing Farms for their Quarter Horse Corporation.

When not farming and raising swine, Merle loved flying. His lifetime wish was to be a pilot.

Merle is survived by his wife Kay, daughters Jana Howser, Raelynn Schmidt, granddaughter Holly (Marshall) Hageman, and a great grandson Wade Hageman. He was preceded in death by his son Daniel, son-in-law Larry Lyne, sister Joyce Brown, brother-in-law Kenneth Bingham, and his parents.

Graveside services will be 10:30 a.m. Friday, February 25, 2022 at the Milford Cemetery with Pastor Lindsey Brummer officiating. The family will receive friends from 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm Thursday evening at the funeral chapel in Chapman. Memorial contributions may be made to the Abilene Aviation Club Scholarship Fund and may be sent in care of the Londeen-Overlease Funeral Chapel, P.O. Box 411, Chapman, Kansas 67431.