Clarence A. Schmitt Obituary

Clarence A. Schmitt
1920 – 2012
Funeral services for Clarence A. Schmitt age 92 of Wisner, NE will be held on Saturday, September 15, 2012 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Wisner, NE. Interment with military honors will be in the Wisner Cemetery. Visitation will be on Friday from 3 p.m. until 8 p.m., the family present after 6 p.m. and there will be a public vigil service starting at 7 p.m., and will continue on Saturday from 9 a.m. until service time at the church. Minnick Funeral Home in Wisner is handling the arrangements for the family.
Clarence passed away on Tuesday, September 11, 2012 at the Wisner Care Center.
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Clarence Anthony Schmitt was born March 20, 1920 at Dalton, NE to Theodore and Frances (Preusser) Schmitt.
At an early age the family returned to Elgin, NE, where Clarence attended St. Boniface School through the 10th grade. He left school to begin helping on the family farm. He enlisted in the United States Army on August 28, 1942, while serving with Battery C of the 553rd Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion during the European Theatre his unit was involved in the Battle of the Bulge and the Crossing of the Rhine. He later served in Germany during the Occupation Campaign and was honorably discharged as a First Sergeant on January 17, 1946. On June 15, 1948, he was united in marriage to Helen Baum at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Elgin, NE. He went to work for Elgin Lumber Co. and in 1959 was transferred to Wisner, NE to become the manager of Wisner Lumber Co. He retired in 1986 and later became the manager for Woodland Circle Apartments in Wisner. He was an active member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church and served on the Archdiocesan Parish Council.
Clarence’s motto was “Service is the price we pay to occupy this world.” He lived his motto by serving his community as a life member of the Wisner American Legion Post #85 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #5767, a 50 year member of the Wisner Lions Club, member of the Wisner Chamber of Commerce, member of the Knights of Columbus for over 60 years and was treasurer of Wisner’s Council for 23 years, served on the Northeast Community College Board of Governors’ for close to 20 years, served on the Wisner School Board and Wisner-Pilger School Board, was a member of the Wisner Housing Authority, served as Civil Defense Director, member of the Wisner Medical Clinic Board for over 25 years, served on the FEMA Board for over 10 years, served for 12 years on the County School Redistricting Board, served on the Wisner Community Development Board, and had belonged to the Lumberman’s Association for over 35 years.
Clarence received his GED diploma from Wisner-Pilger High School in 1975 and was a member of the districts 3rd grade reading program for 10 years, he was honored by receiving the Wisner Lions Club Citizen of the Year award twice in 1979 and 1990, received the Nebraska Community College Governors’ Award in 2003, the AkSarBen Ike Freidman Award in 2006, and an Honorary Associate Arts Degree from Northeast Community College in 2007.
Survivors include Wife-Helen Schmitt of Wisner, NE; Daughter- Mary and Philip Sharp of Cheyenne, WY and children- Will and Jenny Sharp, Sarah and Mike Meissel, Frannie & Douglas Bailey, and Hannah Sharp, Son- John and Shirley Schmitt of Norfolk, NE and children-Andrew Schmitt and Natalie Schmitt, Daughter- Annette and Jeff Odell of Greeley, CO and children-Ben Cary, Nick Cary, and Amanda Cary, Sisters- Helen Getta of Des Moines, IA, Irene McAleer of Cedar Rapids, IA, Brothers- Harold Schmitt of Watkins, IA, Bill Schmitt of Ft. Collins, CO
Clarence was preceded in death by his parents, 3 brothers- Leonard, Robert and Norbert Schmitt, and sister- Wilma Vanourney.