Lois (Brinkley) Schmidt

Lois (Brinkley) Schmidt passed away March 15, 2014 at the Morton County Hospital in Elkhart, Kansas after an extended illness.

Lois was born in Pritchett, Colorado on February 16, 1930 to parents Elvis Oren Brinkley and Veanas Oletha (Moody) Brinkley. She was welcomed into a family, one of five children which included Paul Richard, Camett Lloyd, Elvis Oren, Jr. all now deceased and surviving sister, Belva Dean.

Lois married Attorney Howard Schmidt of Springfield, Colorado in December of 1959. Howard and Lois shared their lives for almost 30 years before his death in 1988. Howard practiced law in Springfield and always tried promoting and representing citizens of Southeast Colorado. During this time, Lois supported her husband by maintaining the home and being involved in civic organizations and clubs and traveling with Howard to his many meetings through the years. After Howard’s passing, Lois spent the next few years caring for her parents who were in the Long Term Care in Springfield and managing the farm which she and Howard owned. After the death of her parents and then retiring from managing the farm, she decided to move to Elkhart, Kansas to be close to family.

Lois resided in her home in Elkhart from 1997 until January of 2014 and enjoyed the many activities of her great-nephew and niece, Trevor and Chelsey Smith and the new friends she made in Elkhart. Lois truly enjoyed being with family and visiting. Many of Trevor and Chelseys friends were able to enjoy the fun time LoLo would sponsor for them through the years. She was known to have a few get-togethers for them and their friends on occasion as in the Christmas Crab feasts and movie nights in the basement.

Lois became a member of the Church of the Nazarene in 2004 and enjoyed the fellowship with the ladies group and was involved in the church activities. Due to failing health, she stated attending church with her family which was helping her.

Survivors include her only living sibling, her sister, Belva Dean (Brinkley) Chick and husband Claud Chick; one surviving sister-in-law, Opal Brinkley; many nieces, nephews; and extended family and friends.

Memorial service will be held at 10:00 AM on Thursday, March 20, 2014 at the Church of the Nazarene in Elkhart, Kansas with Pastor Keith Davis officiating. Inurnment will be held at a later date at the Springfield Cemetery in Springfield, Colorado. The family requests memorials may be given in lieu of flowers to the Church of the Nazarene or the High Plains Health Foundation in care of Garnand Funeral Home, PO Box 854, Elkhart, KS 67950.