Betty Jo Schmidt, 48, died Sunday (Sept. 3, 2006) at Via Christi - St. Francis Regional Medical Center in Wichita.

Survivors include: a son, Justin Svoboda of Excelsior Springs, Mo.; a brother, David Ramsey of Great Bend; sisters, Vicki Ruble of Great Bend and Kathy Leiser of Newton; mother, Dorothy Mae Ramsey of Newton; and husband, Ruiz Garcia Adalberto of Newton.

Visitation will be from 1 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Petersen Funeral Home.

Service will be 10 a.m. Friday at First Baptist Church with Pastor Terry Tarcila officiating.

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A Remembrance from a Friend

I just lost a friend, Betty Jo Schmidt, to a traffic accident last week.  Betty Jo always had a smile on her face.  Even when things weren't so good.  I always envied her in that way.

She loved to party, and if it was your birthday or Valentine's or St. Patrick's Day or just because, she would have reason to party.  Everyone would bring their favorite dish, and the party would begin.

Once she asked my son to dress up like Gene Simmons of KISS for her stepson's birthday.  He didn't really want to because it took him about an hour and a half to get dressed, just for a 10-minute showing.  Nonetheless, he did, just to make a little boy happy.  Betty Jo had a way of making you do things you didn't want to do.

She enjoyed doing things with her co-workers and friends.  She worked at Norcraft for 12-1/2 years.  She enjoyed cooking and going shopping.  Christmas was her favorite holiday.  She really enjoyed giving gifts.  Halloween was her second; she always dressed up.

She enjoyed fishing and camping.  Every Sunday she cheered on her beloved Kansas City Chiefs.  She went all out when it came to decorating for the holidays at home and at work.  On every note, she wrote a smiley face.

This is a small sample of Betty Jo, but it is still more than the three lines in the paper, two of which no one cares about.  Your cheerful, smiling face will be missed!

--A sorrowful friend,
Linda Kendrick