Sharon L. Schmidt

Sharon Louise (Gales) Schmidt, 80, passed away December 23, 2022, at Life Care Center of Burlington, KS. A rosary service was held at 7:00 p.m., Thursday, January 5, at St. John's Catholic Church in Hanover. A funeral service was held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, January 6, at St. John's. Father Joseph Kieffer officiated. Sharon was born December 4, 1942, to Ferdinand Mathis and Ruth Catherine (Malone) Gales, at a rural hospital in Pawnee County, KS. She was #8 of 9 children. Sharon lived with her parents and siblings in Belpre, KS until age 3, when the family moved to the United Carbon Company plant in Ryus, KS, where they lived until 1960, when they moved to Satanta, KS. Sharon graduated from Satanta High School in 1960. On August 31, 1963, Sharon married Joseph Louis Schmidt at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Dodge City, KS. Joe passed away nine days after their 55th wedding anniversary, on 9/9/2018. This union was blessed with five children. Sharon moved to Dodge City, KS, with her sister, Polly, in 1961. She worked in the supply department at St. Anthony’s hospital, up until shortly before the birth of her first child. She was then a stay-at-home mom in Dodge City, KS, until her youngest child was in school. In 1978, Joe and Sharon and family moved to Barnes, KS, where they purchased a dog breeding and brokering business which they ran for several years and later sold. Sharon then held several different jobs in the Hanover, KS area during the next several years, including teaching pre-school, cooking at the Pony Express Truck Stop, and cleaning houses and the church. In 1988, Joe, Sharon and family moved to Hanover, KS, and Sharon eventually took a position with Twin Valley Developmental Services, in Greenleaf, KS, where she worked for 25 years, until her retirement in 2017, after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. In 2019, Sharon moved to New Strawn, KS, to live with daughter and son-in-law, Deb and Mike Stukey. Sharon enjoyed family time above all else, whether it was playing cards, board games, putting together puzzles at home or going to all of her children’s many activities as they grew up. In later years, she very much enjoyed visits with all her family, and attended countless activities, birthday parties, and other important events for her kids, grandkids and great grandkids. Sharon said that her vocation was to be the best person, wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister and friend that she could be. She was a very faith-filled woman and was a devoted Catholic, who really enjoyed her bible study group with St. John’s Catholic Church in Hanover, as well as later Christian book study groups organized by members of the Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Burlington, including one that she led up until she entered the nursing home shortly before her death. Sharon also really enjoyed her Red Hatters group, and visits with and trips that she took with lifelong friends. Sharon was preceded in death by her parents; in-laws, Marcus and Mary Schmidt; siblings, Harold (Velma) Gales, Arthur Gales, Pauline (James) Simmons, Dana Blakely; and nephews, Philip Shaver and Todd Simmons, as well as many sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law. Sharon is survived by her five children, 20 grandchildren and 26 great grandchildren: Jodie (Mark) Bruna of Hanover, KS, their children and grandchildren: Nathan (Samantha) Bruna and their children Alivia, Calvin, Caroline and Garrett of Hanover; Katie (Ken) Woods and their children Kambria, Claire and Caylee of Green, KS; Cindy (Austin) Lawrence and their children Dakota, Sawyer, Hudson, Axel and Rylee of Hanover; Rick (Kelsee) Bruna and their children Addison, Haley and Andrew of Hanover; Christy (Austin) Steinfort and their children Garth, Clayton, Jed and Quincianne of Hanover; Dean Bruna of Hanover; Kent (Colleen) Bruna and their daughter, Kinsley of Hanover; and Jamie Bruna of Hanover. Donald (Susan) Schmidt of Bixby, OK, and their sons Ryan and Zachary. Rebecca (James) Kruse of Hanover, KS, and their daughters and grandchildren: Jenna (Dakota) Tormondson and their children Knox, Indie, and Tatum of Hanover; Erika (Brandon) Jueneman, and their children Ella and Leyna of Hanover; and Kyla Kruse of Manhattan. Deborah (Michael) Stukey of New Strawn, KS, their sons Lincoln (Lynzie) Stukey and their son Whitley of Burlington; and Dalton (Daylee) Stukey of Gridley. Lee (Carrie) Schmidt of Topeka, KS, and their children: Bree Schmidt of Ozark, MO, Wyatt Schmidt, Carter Chabot, Campbell Chabot, and Riplee Schmidt of Topeka. Sharon is also survived by several siblings: Shirley (Maurice) Stein of Dodge City, James (Donna) Gales of Atchison, Patricia Latas of Larned, and Thomas Gales of River Ridge, LA, as well as many nieces and nephews. A memorial fund is established and will be designated later. Contributions may be sent in care of Hanover Mortuary. 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