Joseph F. Schmitt was born on October 16, 1923 in Herndon, Kansas to Elizabeth Schmitt, a single parent. Joe was raised in the Herndon, KS area by his mother and step-father Hubert Weyer. Joe graduated the eighth grade from the St. Marys School in Herndon, KS. At the age of 16, Joe spent two days, in the fall of the year hitch-hiking his way to Colorado, where he ended up at his uncle L.A. Schmitts home. Joe went to work for his uncle and area farmers Earl Kelley, Leonard Greenwell, Johnny Jacobs and others farming and ranching.


At the age of 18, Joe got into a scuffle during the intermission at a dance in Chivington, and in turn was thrown into the county jail by the Kiowa County Sheriff, Butch Woods. Joe and the other accomplices appeared before the county judge to face their sentence. The judge looked at Joe and said, A big, strong boy like you needs to be in the service and offered to let him go if he would enlist. Joe thought this was a pretty good deal, so he took it. Joe enlisted in the United States Navy and served 39 months giving his country 100% and enjoying every minute of it. All 39 months of his service were spent overseas in the Southern Pacific, and he was in 11 of the 22 major engagements during World War II.


After serving his country, Joe returned to Eads, Colorado where he married Virginia Faye Piper on June 23, 1946. Joe went to work for George Crow, starting a lifelong friendship and a many, many year partnership in business. Joe and Faye had four children, Marsha, Marlene, Jolene and Blaine.


Joe loved to play baseball, and did so until he was 40 years old. Joe played against such famous players as Billie Martin and others. Joe, along with his good friends, Merle Frazee, Clyde Frazee and Richard Berger hand dug the holes and installed the very first poles and lights on the baseball field in Eads. Joe also built the cover over the grandstand at the Kiowa County Fairgrounds. In the early 1950s Joe and George founded the Christmas Day for Kids in Eads, providing free admission to the movie in Eads, candy and treats.


The business partnership that Joe had with George Crow, was truly ahead of its time. In 1954 they started Eastern Colorado Utility with the towns of Sheridan Lake, CO, Kit Carson, CO and Deer Trail, CO. They dug and installed the gas and sewer line in the town of Eads. They dug and installed the main water supply line from north of Chivington to the town of Eads. Joe took the profits from the installation of the main water line and bought four car loads of pipe. This was the start up of their Bennett, Strasburg and Byers gas pipeline. Joe dug the entire ditch between Deer Trail and Bennett. George and Joes business expanded and in 1970 Joe and Faye moved to Strasburg, Joe put in Schmitt Reddi Mix. Over the years, Schmitt Reddi Mix has mixed and delivered hundreds of thousands of yards of concrete, and thousands of septic tanks. In 1980, Joe became the sole owner of ECU. Joe remained active in ECU up to his death, but had turned the reddi mix business over to his son, Blaine.


Joe knew how to have fun. There was a fun loving spirit in Joe that was as big as the work ethic he possessed. Joe loved his garden, and always planted his potatoes on Good Friday. Big Boy Tomatoes were his thing. There was no tomato like a Big Boy. When Joe was a young man, he had a plane, and he loved flying it, and he spent countless hours hunting coyotes from his plane. When it came to hunting, Joe had a companion, Bounce, his Labrador retriever. Joe had so many passions, but the pride in Joes heart would swell to capacity when he spoke of his military service. Joe loved his country, and was so proud of her. Joes year was marked by his attendance at his Navy Reunions with his shipmates from the Balch/Porterfield. And if you wanted to really see him swell, ask him about his two grandsons, Joe was so proud to have both grandsons give service to the military.


In all the years of hard work, Joe never missed a day of work. He has truly been a man whose word is his bond and fairness and honesty has been the mainstay in all he has done. The countless hours and monetary contributions that he and Faye have made to their communities cannot possibly be measured or recorded. Never expecting anything in return, Joe has been a shining example of hard work and integrity throughout his entire life, not bad for a 16 year old kid who hitch-hiked to Colorado to stake his claim.


Joseph Francis Schmitt died on December 26, 2008 in Aurora, Colorado. Joe was preceded in death by his mother Elizabeth Schmitt Weyer and his brother Hubert Weyer. Joe is survived by his wife of 62 years, Faye, his children Marsha (Roger) Mousel of Aurora, CO, Jolene (Art) Ritkouski of Brighton, CO, Marlene (Michael) Fields of Strasburg, CO and Blaine Schmitt of Strasburg, CO. Joe is also survived by his grandchildren Pamela Mousel of Bennett, CO, Major Roger (Colby) Mousel Jr of Montclair, VA, Traci (Eldon) Elpers of Strasburg, CO and Troy (Evelyn) Weiser of Strasburg, CO as well as by his great grandchildren Erica and Thomas Elpers and Taylor and Bailey Weiser. Joe also has one sister, Virginia (Robert) Ball of Fairgrove, MO as well as countless friends and other relatives.


Funeral services for Joe Schmitt were held on Wednesday, December 31, 2008 at the United Methodist Church in Eads, CO with Rev. nancy Peacock officiating. Charlotte Woelk and Betty Crow provided the prelude and post lude music for the service. Kelly Hayward and Gary Liesen provided the musical selections Beyond The Sunset, The Green Green Grass Of Home and Lifes Railway To Heaven. Casketbearers were Roger Mousel Jr., Troy Weiser, Brent Stoker, Kent Stoker, Dana Behrens and Russell Moos. All of Joes many friends and Business aquaintanences were the honorary casketbearers. Final committal services were held at the Eads Cemetery with full military honors under the direction of the Kit Carson VFW Post #3411 and the William Kimmell Post #9700 of Cheyenne Wells, CO. Memorial contributions can be made to the Joe Schmitt Memorial Fund in care of the Kiowa County National Bank in Eads, CO or the Guaranty Bank & Trust in Strasburg, CO. Friends and family can sign the guest book and register online condolences at www.brownfuneraldirectors.com. Visitation and funeral services were under the direction of the Brown Funeral Home in Eads, CO.