Eugene F. "Gene" Schmelzle

Eugene F. "Gene" Schmelzle, 92, of Seneca, died early Saturday morning, November 3, 2007 at his home.
      Gene was born October 18, 1915, on a farm near the parish of Flush, KS, the son of Joseph E. and Agnes M. Baumchen Schmelzle. He was one of their eleven children and attended a country school.
      On July 18, 1938, he married Mary E. Aziere. They lived in Hampton IA, where Gene worked on a farm. In 1942, they moved to a farm north of Kelly. In 1944, they relocated to a farm one mile east of Seneca. Gene operated a crop and a dairy farm with his wife and children until he retired in 1980. He was very proud of their family of eight sons and four daughters. Five of his sons served and returned from the Armed Forces, some in combat.
      Gene was a member of Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Seneca. After 46 years of marriage to his wife Mary, she died on September 13, 1984. On September 13, 1986, he married Geraldine Noll; she passed away on December 13, 2006.
      Gene’s neighbors, friends, and family will miss his soft-spoken voice, his gentle nature, his strong morals and life of example, and his loyalty in caring for the ones he loved.
       Survivors include four daughters, Marjean Severin of Axtell, Dee Hudgens of Prairie Village, Jean Rasmussen of Westmoreland, Janice Larrison of Topeka; eight sons, John “Jack” and Charles, both of Atchison, Larry of Oneida, Robert of Axtell, Donald of Manhattan, William of Salina, and David and Patrick, both of Seneca; three sisters, Loretta Umsheild of Manhattan, Bernadette Burns of Wichita, Mary Cooper of Tampa, FL; one brother Gilbert of Seneca; 46 grandchildren; and 63 great-grandchildren.
       Besides his wives, Gene was preceded in death by three brothers, Herman, Clement and Cletus; three sisters, Sister Suzanne O.S.B., Sister Christine O.S.B., and Sister Ositha O.S.B.; a stepdaughter, Elaine Kovacs; and a grandchild, Kathy Schmelzle.
       Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 10 AM Tuesday, November 6, at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Seneca. Burial will be in the church cemetery.  Rosaries will be prayed 2 & 7 PM Monday at Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca.
      Memorial contributions may be given for Parkinson’s disease research, and may be sent in care of the family.