Longtime Peabody resident Marvin E. Schmidt, 78, died Nov. 29, 2011, at Via Christi St. Francis Hospital in Wichita.

He was born May 12, 1933, in Goessel to Adolf and Elizabeth (Funk) Schmidt. He served in the U.S. Army from 1953 to 1955.

He worked on a custom harvest crew, at Hesston Corporation, and retired from the Marion County Road and Bridge Department.

He enjoyed spending time on his farm near Peabody, working with his donkeys and mules in local parades.

He is survived by a son, Kevin Schmidt of Lee’s Summit, Mo.; daughters Karla Hilton of Lee’s Summit, Mo., and Kelsey Dirks of Rogers, Ark.; a brother, Bob Schmidt of North Newton; and four sisters, Elizabeth “Betty” and Laurence Bartel of Hesston, LaWanda and Emerson Wiens of North Newton, Dorothy and Lewis Schmidt of Hutchinson, and Lola and Jim Suderman of Colorado Springs, Colo; and four grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by a sister, Joyce Schmidt.

Visitation was from 3 to 9 p.m. Dec. 2 at Petersen Funeral Home in Newton. A memorial service was held at 10 a.m. Dec. 3 at Petersen Funeral Home.

A memorial has been established with the Hillsboro Veterans of Foreign Wars in care of Petersen Funeral Home.