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THE JOHN "DICK" AND MARIE SCHMID FAMILY STORY

Written June 2001 by John, Robert, Kathy, Peggy & Maryellen  

Updated March 2003

John Aloisius was #6 of the 7 children of Joe and Helen. He was born on June 24, 1919, in Frankenstein, MO. The original birth certificate shows the name of Aloisius John Schmid!  As rumor has it, a nun at school called John, who was a bit chubby, Dick (German for fat)--hence the name Dick stuck through all of the years. At the ripe age of 23 he was drafted into the Army. He joked that the next people on the list to be drafted were women and children. He served during WWII in the Pacific and was particularly proud of the certificate received for crossing the equator. He had it framed, and hung it in his home (naked mermaids and all!) for many years.        

On St. Patrick’s Day of 1947, Dick met a lovely lady named Agnes Marie (McGee) Blakely at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago. Dick had settled in Chicago and was working for the Montgomery Ward Company at the time. Marie had been widowed when her first husband, DeLos (Don) Blakely, was killed by a train. We’re not sure if it was Marie or her cute son, Johnny (a very intelligent 4-year old at the time) asking him to be his Daddy that won Dick over, but they were married at Ascension Church in Harvey, Illinois, on April 17, 1948.  

 April 17, 1948  (Dick and Marie at Ascension Church)            

The wedding party  (Best man-Heinie, Maid of Honor-Shirley (Marie's Sister), Marie & Dick)

Then the real fun began: Robert was born in 1949, Kathleen in 1950, Margaret Mary (Peggy) in 1951, and Maryellen in 1955. Even growing up in the Chicago area, the Missouri roots were very evident in the household. Most Cardinal games were pulled in (static and all) on the radio and drinking Meister Brau beer and card playing were traditions. We all looked forward to the 6-hour drive to Missouri each summer with 7 people and no air conditioning! There was nothing more exciting than driving down the hill into Bonnots and seeing Joe and Helen sitting on the porch waiting for us. The visits with the Jeff City, Bonnots and St. Louis relatives always proved to be enjoyable.

Dick spent many years working as the shipping clerk for Wilson Jump Furniture Company in downtown Chicago. Daily he rode the commuter train back and forth, with Marie taking him to the train at 5:45 a.m. and picking him up around 4:30 p.m. As the kids got older, Marie served as a lunchtime cook for the nuns at Ascension School. (The nuns thought that the Schmid kids looked so well fed that she would be able to provide them with some great meals.) Marie also worked at the JC Penney store in downtown Harvey and in the cafeteria at the local high school. Dick took a job at the local high school also and finished his working career there.

Dick is probably best remembered for his humor. He loved to tell jokes, albeit the same corny jokes. This tradition is proudly being carried on by Robert. Throughout the years, the small house on Harvey Avenue was a gathering point for many relatives as well as local kids. Very often, friends of the Schmid kids would return to see Dick and Marie, have a beer and catch up on the latest news.

Dick died on February 12, 1994, of congestive heart failure, COPD, and complications of arteriosclerotic heart disease (hardening of the arteries). Marie is now living in a nursing home in a Chicago suburb. She is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and is quite frail, but otherwise in good health.

Marie turned 85 this past August 14, 2003.  She is a resident at Rest Haven West in Downers Grove, IL.  Mom continues to amaze us, her health status is fine however the Alzheimer's continues to progress.  With a lot of coaxing Mom will finally recognize her visitors.  Unfortunately her communication skills have diminished.  It seems like Mom still enjoys hearing stories of her past, and especially perks up when listening to stories of Bonnots Mill, Clara, Cele and the rest.  

2003 was a big year for our family.  We added on several new "out-laws".  Their updated stories will be coming soon, along with new pictures too.  (hint...hint) 

   (John, Judy, and "biker John") John joined the Air Force in 1963 and made a 20-year career. In 1967, while assigned to Buffalo, New York, he married Judy Schoales. They had three daughters, Christina, Michelle and Jessica, Chris and Michelle are still living. Chris is a Chemical Engineering Manager for PPG Industries and is married to Tony Stocco, a County Prosecutor in Greene County, Ohio (east of Columbus, Ohio). Michelle is married to Joe Buschelman, a policeman in Union Township, Ohio. The Buschelman’s have four children: Joey, born in 94, Ashton, born in 95, and twins, Parker and Haley, born in 97. John and Judy lived in Fairfield, Ohio for fourteen years until 1998 when they moved to Keller, Texas.

   (Bryan, Judi, David, Rob and Rob with 55 boxes of PEEPS) Rob has been working as an auditor for the Eternal Revenue Service for 10 years now, and still doesn't have the foggiest idea about what a debit or credit is. Judi is a librarian at Elgin High School, in Elgin, Illinois, of all places. Elgin used to be known for the Elgin Watch Company, but now it is famous for its casino. As for the Robert Schmid family, they are alive and thriving within spitting distance of O'Hare airport in Des Plaines, Illinois. Rob and Judi married in 1981 and have two lovely sons: David, born in 1984, a daily reminder that the horrors predicted in George Orwell's novel of the same name have come to be; and Bryan, who thinks that it would be cool to spend 6 years in high school and graduate in the class of 007. Remember when we all tried to be in the class of 69? I think that Peg is the only one who can claim that honor. Times they are a changin, but the more they change, the more they remain the same.

            Kathy married Larry Allen of Stockton, Kansas, in 1973. Larry was active duty Air Force at the time, and they've lived in Altus, Oklahoma; San Antonio, Texas; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and back to San Antonio. Daughter, Janet Lynne, was born in 1978, graduated from Texas Lutheran University in May of 2000, and is now living and working as a recruiter/staffing specialist in Houston. Larry, Jr., was born in 1980, graduated from Texas Tech University in December 2002, majoring in Music Education, and is now an Assistant Band Director at Canyon Vista Middle School in Austin, TX.. We were very happy to welcome Janae Diane Oldham into the Allen family on May 24, 2003.  Janae is a wonderful girl, and she and Larry seem like real soul-mates.  Janae is employed as a Software Engineer with IBM in Austin.  Larry (Sr.)  retired from the Air Force in 1984 and is working Civil Service at Randolph AFB as a systems analyst.  In his spare time he does woodworking and model building in his workshop.   Kathy works as a Planning Supervisor at DPT Laboratories and in her spare time has taken up quilting. We love Texas---just wish it wasn't so far from family.  We have the best of intentions of making  it to this year's reunion.  San Antonio is a great city to visit.  Y'all come!   We have plenty of room for guests.

    Margaret Mary (a.k.a. Peggy, Cuddly Bum, and Bum) and hubby, Jeff Moss, live in Crestwood, MO.  Jeff served 33 years with the FBI.  Assignments for them included San Francisco, Hannibal, and St. Louis.  They're not sure if they hold the record, but in 2003 they had three children get married in a six-month period.  Doug got married in October 2003 to a very sweet gal named Susan.  Everyone's thrilled that they are going to bless the family by adding to the next generation on the Dick Schmid side.  (If they make it to the reunion, Susan will be the VERY pregnant one!)  Tracy married a great guy named Dan Krause in April 2003 (see  Tracy's write-up below).  In July 2003 Ibby wed Tim Griffin, a super guy who actually lived right down the street from the hospital in Hannibal where Ibby was born.  They are living in Raymore, Mo, near Kansas City.  Jeff has been keeping busy with some firearms and police training at a local community college.  Peg is still working in human resources at a large firm in St. Louis.  For recreation and a little exercise, they have lots of laughs playing recreational volleyball.

     Maryellen, Don and Daniel live in Aurora, IL, 40 miles west of Chicago.   Maryellen has been a nurse since 1977 and is currently employed as a School Nurse in Elgin, IL. Don has had to sell his Plastic Injection Mold business, thanks to all the manufacturing that has gone over to China.  Don is currently working at a Tool & Die shop.  Maryellen and Don were married on 7/21/96. Daniel is a Cadet in the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO.  He hope to qualify to be a jet fighter pilot.  He intends on majoring in Aerospace Engineering.  With Dan being out in Colorado, the family  enjoyed downhill skiing in CO this past winter.  

FAMILY STORIES - Continued

Notes from Dick + Marie's Grandkids

(Tracy, Dan) This message is from Tracy (Moss) Krause, granddaughter of Dick and Marie; daughter of Peggy and Jeff.  Some of you may have heard that 2003 was the "Year of Wedding".  I was the first of four grandchildren fro Dick and Marie's family to get married this past year.  Each and every one of the weddings was fun and unique in their own way.  our reception took place at a children's museum in St. Louis, The Magic House.  My new husband, Dan, is happy to be part of the Schmid family.  He didn't break off our engagement after attending the reunion of 2001, so I guess he is a keeper.  It was wonderful to see so much of our family this past year, especially since, being in Austin, Texas, it is somewhat rare.  ~  I have fond memories of visiting Grandma and Pa in Harvey, IL.  We lived in St. Louis and would travel to Chicago to visit a couple times a year.  Five of us in the car...but luckily we had air conditioning (unlike the seven from Dick's family traveling to Missouri without it...there's no way we would have survived!)  My favorite memory is of us all sitting around playing Pass the Trash.  (Whether she denies it or not, Ibby would sit on the kings to save them for later!)  I am definitely a Schmid at heart...I still love to play that or any other card game.  I'd also love if someone would teach me Preference.  I will gladly take on the responsibility of passing on the tradition.  ~  Hope to be able to make it to the reunion in August, and hope this message finds everyone well. 

(Ibby, Tim) Elizabeth (Ibby Moss) Griffin, daughter of Margaret Moss, grandchild of Dick and Marie, wed Tim Griffin on July 25, 2003.  We had the fairy tale wedding at an old plantation in St Louis, complete with horse and carriage.  It was good to see everyone there.  Tim and Ibby live in Raymore, MO, just south of Kansas City.  Ibby teaches 8th grade English and Tim is in restaurant management.  Of my strongest memories of Grandma and Grandpa was the urn that they always told us had the boogie-man in it.  I was so scared of that thing!  I think they told us that so we wouldn't mess with it and break it.  Now, that wonderful urn is in Jeff and Peggy's house, so we can pass on the boogie-man tradition!  Ibby and Tim were in Chicago recently for a visit and there we found that Grandma really likes her brownies and chocolate milk.  It was good to be able to see her and Maryellen and Don.  And, of course, playing cards was always a fond memory.  I sat on a King once in Pass the Trash....Tracy makes it sound like I did it all the time!

 (Doug, Susan) Douglas (Doug) Moss, the son of Margaret Mary (Schmid) and Jeffrey Moss married Susan Caskanett October 11, 2003.  They were wed at Mary Mother of the Church in south St. Louis County, Missouri.  A reception followed at the Anheuser-Busch Center in Fenton.  The couple honeymooned in New England (Boston, New Hampshire and Maine).  ~  Doug and Susan currently live in Green Park, a southwest suburb of St. Louis.  Doug works in Quality Control at Whitmire-Micro Gen, a commercial pesticide manufacturer.  Susan works in Human Resources at Logan College of Chiropractic.  Doug and Susan are expecting their first child, who is due August 25th.  They are planning on attending the reunion, provided Susan's not in labor.  ~  One of Doug's favorite memories of Grandpa Schmid is being taught to fold a $2 bill into a bird that actually flies.  The setup goes:  "Did you ever see money fly?"  Then you take out your folded bill, pull back on the tail, and the bird actually flaps its wings.  Doug still knows how to make the birds and if anyone would like to learn, he'd be glad to show them how.

(Chris, Tony) Another wedding?  Certainly not another 2003, how about the 1992 wedding of Christina Blakely and Tony Stocco.  We definitely want Chris, Dick's oldest grandchild, to write a note.  The web site could certainly use an updated photo too!

Here are more of our favorite pictures:

Dick and Marie on one of their visits to see Mom & Pop in Bonnots Mill.

This family portrait was taken in 1963, in our living room in Harvey, IL.  (Clockwise starting at the top:  John "Dick", Johnny, Peggy, Kathy, Robert, Maryellen and Marie).

  40 years later !  ...Haven't changed bit. (Left to right.  Front:  John, Robert.  Back: Maryellen, Kathy, Peggy)

  (Left to right:  Ashton, Haley, Parker, Joey) Dick sure would have loved to play with these four children, his Great Grandchildren.  Johnny and Judy are crazy over Michelle's kids.  These four were dancin' machines at Doug's wedding in October.  

(Judy, John, Michelle, October, 2003)

  (Left to right.  Front:  John, Judy, Maryellen, Peggy, Janet, Janae, Larry, Kathy, Judi.  Center:  Don, Jeff, Larry, Robert.  Back:  Dan, Tracy, Dan...and that's no double talk).

(John and Robert)

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Be sure to visit the REUNION ATTENDEES page, click on the various reunion years, to see more photos of Dick & Marie and family.