Ronald A. "Ronnie" Schmidt
NEWTON - Schmidt, Spc. Ronald A. "Ronnie", 18, Army National Guard specialist, died Sunday, August 3, 2008 while serving in Iraq. Visitation with the family, 6:00-8:00 P.M., Tuesday, August 12, Downing & Lahey Mortuary West in Wichita and 9:00-10:00 A.M., Wednesday, August 13, Grace Community Church in Newton. Services, 10:00 A.M., Wednesday, August 13, Grace Community Church. The procession will leave the church at 12:00 P.M., en route to Greenwood Cemetery in Eureka. The procession should arrive at the cemetery at approximately 1:30 P.M. Ronnie was born in Newton and moved as a small child to Eureka. While growing up, he was always following close behind his grandfather, Fritz. The two were the best of friends. When he was 10 years old in the year 2000, he lost his grandfather. At the age of 12, he lost his father, Brian. That year he moved to Newton and attended Santa Fe Middle School and graduated in 2007 from Newton High School. Ronnie was a strong young man who loved a challenge and wanted to be the best at whatever he was competing in. He lettered in wrestling all four years of high school. He loved to go trail riding in the mountains of Colorado with his uncle, Paul, and loved to work on his car with his very good friend, Larry Nuehring. During his senior year, he joined the Army National Guard and became a "M" day soldier. After high school graduation, he went to basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, MO, followed immediately by AIT training in Fort Sill, OK. On the last day of his AIT training, he was informed that he would be attending readiness training at Fort Bliss, TX. The following January he was deployed to Iraq and was stationed at Camp Ashraf as a gunner in the alpha Humvee running routes for IED's. Ronnie was a brave, dedicated and determined soldier. This young hero was loved and will truly be missed. GOD BLESS OUR HERO. Preceded in death by father, Brian Schmidt; grandparents, Alfred "Fritz" Schmidt, Betty Schmidt, Beatrice Serrato, and Raymond Salas, Jr. Survivors: mother, Andrea Schmidt of Newton; aunt and uncles, Paul and Laura Schmidt of Goddard, Mark Schmidt of Hastings, MI; two half-brothers. Memorial established with USD 373, for the "Ronnie Schmidt Wrestling Memorial Fund", c/o Newton High School, 900 W. 12th, Newton, KS 67114. Tributes may be sent to the family via
www.dlwichita.com Ronnie was a friend and class mate of mine growing up in Eureka. We rode the bus together for seven years with Ronnie being one of the closest neighbors I had at three miles away. Ronnie lived what most would call a hard life his parents separated when he was young, in grade school his house was burnt down by an arsonist, he lost his grandfather and not long after his own dad. However he had success in wrestling by becoming a state qualifier in his junior year. I was never more proud of someone to have made it to state with all of the difficulties he had to endure. He died defending his country and he will be missed by the wrestling community.
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Wyatt Bechtel
