Robert Wagner Schmitt

Graveside services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Monday, November 25, 2019 at the Clinton Cemetery, Clinton, KS for Robert Schmitt, 59, Lawrence. Robert Wagner Schmitt was born July 21, 1960 in Lawrence, KS to Jerry Wagner Schmitt and Marjorie Ruth Tuckel Schmitt. He died November 17, 2019 at his home following a brief illness.

Robert graduated from Lawrence High School in 1978.

Robert enjoyed sports. His love of sports started with Pee wee football. He participated in all sports in school and was on the track team at LHS. He was a golfer and fisherman. Robert and his mother spent hours fishing at Clinton and Lone Star Lakes. He would keep up-to-date with all his favorite sports teams, golfers and car races on television. As a child he wanted to be a sportswriter.

As a young child, Robert loved to race slot cars. He and his father collected matchbox cars and baseball cards. Later he developed an interest in collecting many different things. He enjoyed music and loved animals. Robert volunteered at the Lawrence Humane Society.

In high school, Robert’s interests grew in science and biology. He participated in a trip to Hawaii with a group of his LHS classmates led by their teacher, Stan Roth. He attended Kansas University studying Oceanography.

In adulthood, Robert was a farrier by trade. He worked as a farrier on a farm near Mamou, Louisiana. He loved Cajun food. Later he managed a horse ranch in Modesto, California where he cared for and showed horses. He was trusted and maintained many of Hollywood’s equestrian celebrities’ horses including those of actor Robert Mitchum. He knew about every breed of horse and how to care for a sick horse.
With his mother and father, Robert traveled to every state in the Union. He could tell you something about every state. He loved nature. Robert enjoyed reading, traveling and camping.

With a wise wit, Robert could tell a good joke. He never forgot a name or phone number. He never met a stranger.

In later life, his health prohibited him from enjoying many things. He lived his life to his best and always remembered his family and friends. He was generous, fun, kind, and faithful. He would call his family or friends daily to see how they were doing. He was a caregiver for his mother. He will be sadly missed.

Robert was preceded in death by his father, Jerry Schmitt in 2007. He is survived by his mother, Marjorie; uncles and aunts, Emmett and Sherry Tuckel, Lecompton, KS, Glenn and Delores Tuckel, Topeka, KS and Clemet (Butch) Schmitt, Kansas City, MO; many cousins and a host of friends.

The family will greet friends from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Friday, November 22, 2019 at Warren-McElwain Mortuary in Lawrence.

Memorial contributions may be made in his name to the Lawrence Humane Society and may be sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary, 120 W. 13th Street, Lawrence, KS 66044.