Richard Dwain Schmalzried, age 80, of Quinter, went to be with his Lord on June 18, 2018 with family by his side.
He was born March 29, 1938, in Dighton, KS to parents Dayton and Selma (Uppendahl) Schmalzried. On July 21, 1962, he married his high school sweetheart, Rozan Heath. After getting married, they lived in Dighton, KS and moved to Quinter in 1971. To this union, 5 children were born and he felt his family was the best crop he ever raised.
Richard graduated Dighton High School in 1956 and attended Fort Hays State University for several years. He graduated from the Colorado School of Banking in 1972.
Richard wore many hats throughout his life, working as a loan officer for First National Bank in Dighton and Quinter, manager of Flex-King Manufacturing, farmer, entrepreneur with the Town and Country Shop and later the Pizza Station in Quinter, real estate salesman, and postman. But he spent most of his life as a school bus driver and he loved interacting with the school children.
Richard was a strong believer in Christ. He served as the youngest elder at First Christian Church while in Dighton and joined the Quinter Church of the Brethren in Quinter and served as a deacon, church moderator, choir member, Sunday School teacher, and member of the district board. He also was a member of Gideons International.
Within the community, Richard volunteered with the Quinter Ambulance Service for many years and served as President of the Chamber of Commerce in both Quinter and Dighton. He also acted as Interim County Commissioner and was involved with Prairie Community Theater. Richard often opened up his house or offered jobs to people who were struggling. He loved old cars and could identify almost every make and model, even from a distance.
Richard is survived by his wife of 55 years and 11 months, Rozan Schmalzried; 3 sons, Rick (Liz) Schmalzried of Lafayette, IN; Rory (Dawn) Schmalzried of Castle Rock, CO; Rhett (Patty) Schmalzried-Lugo of Olathe, KS; 2 daughters Rache (Marlan) Wente of Quinter and RaLynn (Joe) Schmalzried Schmidt of Topeka, KS; Grandchildren Heath (Amanda) Schmalzried, Tyler (Amber) Schmalzried, Jennifer (Larry) Bolan, Jack Schmalzried, Samuel Schmalzried, Shayla (David) Stuenkel, Nicholas Wente, Hope (Norris) Payne, Thomas Schmalzried, Alana Schmalzried-Lugo, Derek Schmalzried-Lugo, Lillie Wente, Carina Schmalzried-Lugo, Brody Schmalzried-Lugo, Timothy Wente, and Eliza Schmidt and 4 great-grandchildren, a twin brother Ronald (Virginia) Schmalzried of Topeka, KS and a sister, Mary Wagner of Lincoln, NE. He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Francis and Edward Schmalzried.
Service will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, June 23, 2018 at the Quinter Church of the Brethren and a 3:00 graveside service and burial in the Dighton Memorial Cemetery. The family has opted to host visitation from 2:00-8:30 p.m. Friday at the family home at 2590 County Road 74, Quinter, because one of the last things Richard told them is that “When the nurses come, I want to catch a ride home.”
Memorials are suggested to Gove County Medical Center Vein Finder Fund and may be sent to Schmitt Funeral Home, 901 South Main, in Quinter.