Virginia Schmidt, 94, Hays, died Friday, October 16, 2015 at the Via Christi Village in Hays.

She was born April 13, 1921 in Munjor, Kansas the daughter of Paul and Ida (Befort) Leiker.

On September 10, 1946, she married William “Bill” Schmidt in Munjor. He died August 8, 1996.  She was a cook at Lost Canyon School for many years until it closed and was a farmwife.

She was a member of the St. Catherine Catholic Church in Catharine, Kansas, the St. Catherine Christian Mothers Altar Society, the VFW Ladies Auxiliary in Hays, and the Hays Daughters of Isabella.

Virginia will be remembered for being a loving wife, mother, and grandmother and for being a hard worker who milked the cows every morning and did gardening and other chores on the farm, for faithfully praying the rosary, and for her amazing memory.  Her children, grandchildren and friends were the recipients of her cooking and baking including her homemade rolls, cookies and cakes, and her delicious caramel corn. She was a gifted seamstress, sewing clothes for herself and her family, and she made double knit rugs and embroidered tea towels.  She loved polkas and dancing with her husband, playing bingo and pinochle, and was a big fan of the Kansas City Royals, and KU, K-State, and Wichita State basketball.

Survivors include three daughters;  Norma J. Braun and husband Don of Stockton, KS, Kathleen Schmeidler and husband Darrell of Hays, and Mary Jane Schmeidler and husband Glenn of Hays, a sister Pauline Miller of Hays, seven grandchildren;  Denise Kemp and husband Mike, Mike Braun and wife Jennifer, Thomas Schmeidler, Tracie Schwab and husband Steve, Jeremy Schmeidler and wife Tonya, Kristin Kosmicki and husband Tim, and Kaylee Schmeidler, 11 great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, a granddaughter Melissa Sue Schmeidler, three brothers;  Gilbert Leiker, Norbert Leiker, and an infant brother Justin Leiker, and five sisters;  Alexia Robben, Mary Kuhn-Frank, Tillie Windholz, Agedia Haselhorst, and an infant sister Irene Leiker.

Funeral services will be at 10:00 am on Tuesday, October 20, 2015 at the St. Catherine Catholic Church, Catharine.  Burial will follow in the St. Catherine Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 5:00 pm until 8:00 on Monday and from 8:30 am until 9:30 on Tuesday, all at the Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, 1906 Pine. A combined VFW Ladies Auxiliary and Daughters of Isabella rosary will be at 6:00 pm, a St. Catherine Christian Mothers Altar Society rosary will be at 6:30, followed by a parish vigil service at 7:00, all on Monday at the funeral home.

Memorials are suggested to the St. Catherine Catholic Church or to the St. Catherine Cemetery Fund, in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be left for the family at www.haysmemorial.com.