Duane A. Schmidt

Duane Allen Schmidt, 87, of Western, passed away peacefully on Aug. 12, 2026, at the Wilber Care Center in Wilber, after a six-year battle with mesothelioma. He was born to Carl and Ruth (Matzke) Schmidt on Nov. 22, 1938, in Western.

Duane graduated from Western High School in 1956. He married Vicki Nickel on May 11, 1958, and to this union, two children were born - Lori and Mark. Duane worked many jobs — farmer, rural mail carrier, school bus driver, service station attendant, truck driver for Canning Truck Service in Fairbury, grain elevator worker, motel clerk at Villa Madrid Motel in Crete and the Cushman Factory in Lincoln.

He will be remembered by his firm grip, hugs with pens in his pocket, the torch run, his love of hogs, and his love of sports, particularly his high school state basketball teams which won state titles in 1954 and 1955 and was runner up in 1956 at Western High School.

Above all, he was always happy to see his grandchildren and great-grandchildren and always had a big smile when he greeted them. Duane always seemed to be the last person to leave a gym as he always found another person who want to talk to him. He never knew a stranger.

Duane was preceded in death by his parents, Carl and Ruth Schmidt; sister and brother-in-law, Carleen and Fred Novak; brother, Warren (Bud) Schmidt; and brothers-in-law, Duane Dlouhy and Loren Laun; and sister-in-law, Sharol Novak.  

Survivors include his wife, Vicki Schmidt of Western; daughter, Lori Niederklein of Juniata and her children, Adam Niederklein and wife, Carla, and their children Jameson and Kate all of Lincoln, Amy Strand and husband, John and their children Emma, Elsie, Easton, Eva, and Eleanora of Arapahoe, Alex Niederklein and wife, Kate of Hastings, April Rostvet and husband, Alex and their children Cody and Alma of Hastings, Abby Keele and husband, Alex and their children, Layla and Amelia all of Hastings, and Buzz Niederklein and wife, Maddy and their son, Noah all of Lincoln; his son, Mark Schmidt and wife, Jami, and their children Cullan, Jaxon and Maci all of Geneva, and Chesney Ksionzek and husband, Connor and their daughter, Colbie all of Wilber; sister, Kathy Dlouhy of Western; brother, Marion Schmidt and wife, Carol of Lincoln; sister-in-law, Carolyn Laun of Texas; and nieces and nephews.

The funeral service will be Saturday, Aug. 15, at 10 a.m. at the Swanton Gymnasium with Pastor Lila Bottolfson presiding. The recorded selections will include “The Old Rugged Cross,” “Go Tell It On The Mountain,” and “Don’t Fence Me In.” Pallbearers will be Paul Dittbrenner, Mark Tachovsky, Connor Ksionzek, John Strang, Alex Rostvet and Alex Keele. Honorary pallbearers will be Adam Niederklein, Amy Strand, Alex Niederklein, April Rostvet, Abby Keele, Buzz Niederklein, Chesney Ksionzek, Cullan Schmidt, Jaxon Schmidt and Maci Schmidt. A graveside service will follow at the Plainview Cemetery in Western. Memorial contributions are suggested to the Willard Schmidt Memorial Marker in Swanton or to the family for future designation.

Arrangements by Farmer & Son Funeral Home.