John Schmitt

John W. Schmitt, age 98, of Thomson, Illinois died Friday, November 6, 2015, at Good Samaritan Society, Mt. Carroll, Illinois. A funeral service will be held 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, November 11, 2015, at the Argo Fay United Methodist Church. Cremation rites will be accorded following the service. Burial of his cremated remains will take place in Argo Fay Cemetery at a later date. A visitation will be held from 4:00-6:30 p.m., Tuesday, November 10, 2015, at Law-Jones Funeral Home, Thomson, Illinois. A memorial fund has been established in John’s memory.
John was born on October 21, 1917, in Harmon, Illinois, the son of Peter and Lola (Porch) Schmitt. John married Eleanor Kested on February 15, 1941 in Clinton, Iowa. They celebrated 67 years of marriage before Eleanor’s passing on August 4, 2008.
John farmed his entire life and never truly retired. Until recently, John was still interested in daily farming activities. John was a member of the Carroll County Farm Bureau, Black Oak Grange, Thomson School Board, and the Argo Fay United Methodist Church. He enjoyed dancing, listening to music, reading, and playing cards. He also enjoyed spending time outdoors, especially hunting for mushrooms and blackberries with his family. Most of all, John cherished spending time with his children and many grandchildren.
John will be dearly missed by his six children, Joan Eissens of Baileyville, Illinois, Connie (Jim) Foster of Chadwick, Illinois, Karen (Frank) Norem of Joliet, Illinois, Barb Burger of Savanna, Illinois, Cindy (Steve) Dyson of Albany, Illinois, and Michael (Suzanne) Schmitt of Mt. Carroll, Illinois; eight grandchildren; fourteen great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. John was preceded in death by his wife, Eleanor; three brothers, Walter, Paul, and Ted Schmitt; and four sisters, Effie Wikoff, Pauline LaDew, Mary Mennenga, and Myrtle Peterson.