Frederick was the son of Charles and Cora (Wingfield) Schmidt. He grew up in Junction City, Kansas. On December 30, 1965, he was united in marriage with Nancy Rucker in Jeffersonville, Indiana. They resided in Abilene since 1974, moving from Mulvane, Kansas. Fred was a musician, teacher, and railroader. Mr. Schmidt was the co-founder of the Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad, and a member of the Abilene City Band and the Kansas Brigade Band.
His funeral was a reflection of his life, and both were a lot of fun. "We had a good time, though sad, too. Maybe he had a good time, too," said Nancy Schmidt, his widow. "It was kind of a do-it-yourself funeral." After a memorial service Saturday at Abilene First United Methodist Church — 200 family and friends attended — his ashes were taken to the railroad depot, where they were loaded onto the 90-year-old Santa Fe 3415 steam engine that he helped restore for one last ride to Enterprise. A black wreath was placed on the front of the engine.
The procession continued by car to Humboldt Cemetery southeast of Junction City. At the gravesite, a Dixieland brass band provided a New Orleans-style dirge. Schmidt's ashes, wrapped in one of the flannel shirts he commonly wore, were buried near his pioneer forebears.
Survivors included his wife, Nancy, son Paul, two daughters, Margaret Trow and Katey Schmidt, two grandchildren, Nell and William Schmidt and his sister, Anne Schmidt.
His funeral was a reflection of his life, and both were a lot of fun. "We had a good time, though sad, too. Maybe he had a good time, too," said Nancy Schmidt, his widow. "It was kind of a do-it-yourself funeral." After a memorial service Saturday at Abilene First United Methodist Church — 200 family and friends attended — his ashes were taken to the railroad depot, where they were loaded onto the 90-year-old Santa Fe 3415 steam engine that he helped restore for one last ride to Enterprise. A black wreath was placed on the front of the engine.
The procession continued by car to Humboldt Cemetery southeast of Junction City. At the gravesite, a Dixieland brass band provided a New Orleans-style dirge. Schmidt's ashes, wrapped in one of the flannel shirts he commonly wore, were buried near his pioneer forebears.
Survivors included his wife, Nancy, son Paul, two daughters, Margaret Trow and Katey Schmidt, two grandchildren, Nell and William Schmidt and his sister, Anne Schmidt.
Frederick was the son of Charles and Cora (Wingfield) Schmidt. He grew up in Junction City, Kansas. On December 30, 1965, he was united in marriage with Nancy Rucker in Jeffersonville, Indiana. They resided in Abilene since 1974, moving from Mulvane, Kansas. Fred was a musician, teacher, and railroader. Mr. Schmidt was the co-founder of the Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad, and a member of the Abilene City Band and the Kansas Brigade Band.
His funeral was a reflection of his life, and both were a lot of fun. "We had a good time, though sad, too. Maybe he had a good time, too," said Nancy Schmidt, his widow. "It was kind of a do-it-yourself funeral." After a memorial service Saturday at Abilene First United Methodist Church — 200 family and friends attended — his ashes were taken to the railroad depot, where they were loaded onto the 90-year-old Santa Fe 3415 steam engine that he helped restore for one last ride to Enterprise. A black wreath was placed on the front of the engine.
The procession continued by car to Humboldt Cemetery southeast of Junction City. At the gravesite, a Dixieland brass band provided a New Orleans-style dirge. Schmidt's ashes, wrapped in one of the flannel shirts he commonly wore, were buried near his pioneer forebears.
Survivors included his wife, Nancy, son Paul, two daughters, Margaret Trow and Katey Schmidt, two grandchildren, Nell and William Schmidt and his sister, Anne Schmidt.
His funeral was a reflection of his life, and both were a lot of fun. "We had a good time, though sad, too. Maybe he had a good time, too," said Nancy Schmidt, his widow. "It was kind of a do-it-yourself funeral." After a memorial service Saturday at Abilene First United Methodist Church — 200 family and friends attended — his ashes were taken to the railroad depot, where they were loaded onto the 90-year-old Santa Fe 3415 steam engine that he helped restore for one last ride to Enterprise. A black wreath was placed on the front of the engine.
The procession continued by car to Humboldt Cemetery southeast of Junction City. At the gravesite, a Dixieland brass band provided a New Orleans-style dirge. Schmidt's ashes, wrapped in one of the flannel shirts he commonly wore, were buried near his pioneer forebears.
Survivors included his wife, Nancy, son Paul, two daughters, Margaret Trow and Katey Schmidt, two grandchildren, Nell and William Schmidt and his sister, Anne Schmidt.
