Clarence "Curly" Orville Schmitt

Clarence “Curly” Orville Schmitt, 87, of Manchester, died on Tuesday, April 22, 2014, at the Edgewood Convalescent Home. 

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Friday, April 25, at St. Mary Catholic Church in Manchester.

Online condolences may be sent to www.leonard-mullerfh.com.

He was born on June 9, 1926, in Waterloo, Iowa, the son of Orville and Harriet (Hansen) Schmitt.  Clarence was raised and educated in Dewar.

On June 16, 1945, Clarence was united in marriage to Wilma Retha Trainor. From 1946 to 1979, they enjoyed farming together near Dewar, Dunkerton, Wadena, and Volga.  In 1979, they moved to Phoenix, Ariz., taking their team of Morgans with them.  From 1979 – 2001, Clarence used his team in weddings, parades, and tours in Scottsdale and Sedona, Ariz. They also lived in Flagstaff, Arizona and Springdale, Utah. There he used his team of mules for wagon rides. 

In 2001, Clarence retired and moved back to Iowa, first living in Elkader and then Manchester. 

Clarence will be remembered for his kind and generous heart, love of people, and passion for his horses.

Clarence was preceded in death by his parents, Orville and Harriet Schmitt; a brother, Jerry Schmitt; his sister Lois Reicherts; and a brother-in-law, Bob McMahon.

Survivors include his wife, Wilma; three children, Bryan (Linda) Schmitt of Wadena, Cindy (Dennis) Waskow of Manchester, and Kevin (Karen) Schmitt of Solon; 12 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; three great-great grandchildren; his two sisters, Bonnie (Marvin) Wissink of Waterloo, and Jeanette McMahon of Denver, Iowa; his brother-in-law, Don Reicherts of Waterloo; and many nieces and nephews.