Doris Celeste Schmidt

On August 12, 2018, Doris Celeste (Nikkel) Schmidt died peacefully at the Mennonite Friendship Communities in South Hutchinson at the age of 90. Doris is survived by her husband, Menno Schmidt of South Hutchinson; stepchildren Ron (and Susan) Schmidt of Albuquerque, New Mexico and Sharon Schmidt of El Dorado; sisters and brothers in-law Orletta and John Goering of Gresham, Oregon; Joyce and Ken Christopher of Olathe; sisters Josephine Voth of Goessel and Arzella Dirksen of Denver, Colorado; and many beloved nieces and nephews all across the country. Doris is preceeded in death by her brother and sister in-law Abe and Kathy Nikkel, and brothers in law Mel Dirksen and Elmer Voth. Doris was born to Jacob P. and Eva (Unruh) Nikkel on August 10, 1928 in Goessel, Kansas. She attended Maple Hill Grade School and graduated from Lehigh High School. Right out of high school Doris obtained her teaching certification and briefly taught all grades in single-room school houses, Lighthouse Rural (near Goessel) and Plain View Rural (Marion County). She then earned a nursing degree at Bethel Deaconess School of Nursing in 1952 and went to work at Bethesda Hospital in Goessel, where she eventually became the Director. Doris decided to go back to Bethel College and completed a bachelor’s degree. Upon graduation, Doris worked at a hospital in Henderson, Nebraska and after several years she became Hospital Superintendent. Next Doris went back to Bethel Deaconess Hospital to work as an operating room supervisor and instructor. While Doris enjoyed teaching, she had a strong interest in anesthesiology and followed that interest to complete a nurse anesthetist degree from Barnes Hospital School of Anesthesiology, St. Louis, Missouri, in 1963. She returned to Kansas to take a position as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist at Halstead Memorial Hospital. Doris married Menno Schmidt on August 20, 1966. Together they lived on a farm near Buhler, Kansas, while Doris continued as a nurse anesthetist in Halstead for a couple of years before taking an anesthesiology position at McPherson Hospital. In 1978 Doris retired from nursing and a couple of years later she and Menno moved to Hutchinson. Visitation is scheduled to take place from 4 to 7pm at Buhler Mortuary 120 N. Main St, Buhler on Sunday, August 19th. Burial will be at Buhler East Cemetery (3 miles East on 82nd Ave) at 9:30am on Monday, August 20th. Memorial service will be at 11am in the chapel at Mennonite Friendship Communities 600 W Blanchard Ave, South Hutchinson on Monday, August 20th. Following services, there will be a luncheon served at First Mennonite Church, 52 Rambler Road in Hutchinson. In lieu of flowers and gifts, donations can be made to The Hutchinson Community Foundation, First Mennonite Church in Hutchinson, or Doctors Without Borders.

Doris Celeste Schmidt

August 10, 1928 - August 12, 2018