Fr. Harold Schmitt Obituary (1931 - 2021)

LACON - Father Harold Francis Schmitt, 90, of Lacon passed away on Monday, August 16, 2021, at 10:32 p.m. at Lacon Rehab and Nursing, formerly St. Joseph Home, in Lacon. Visitation will be Monday, August 23, 2021, from 5 to 7 p.m. at St. Mary's Church, St. John XXII Parish, 401 South St., Henry. The rosary will be recited at 4:30 p.m. Mass of Christian burial will be Tuesday at 11 a.m. at St. Mary's Church. Bishop Daniel Jenky will be in attendance, Fr. John Bosco Mujuni wile be the main Celebrant, and Fr. Robert Rayson will be the Homilist. A second visitation will be held from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the church. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery in Henry. Memorial contributions may be made to the St. John XXIII Parish building fund or the Daughters of St. Francis of Assisi in Lacon. Calvert & Johnson Memorial Home in Henry is in charge of arrangements. Fr. Harold was born on February 7, 1931, in Henry, IL, to Fred J. and Helen T. (Stahler) Schmitt. He is survived by his brothers, Richard (Barbara) Schmitt of Tiskilwa and Gerald Schmitt of Henry; and sisters, Sharon Jason and Joy (Bernard) Wunder of Lacon, Betty Shearer of Henry and Pam (Ernest) Waldschmidt of Lacon. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Lawrence Schmitt; sister, Mary Lou (Doc) Jason; sister-in-law, Judy Schmitt; brother-in-law, George Jason, and brother-in-law, Bill Shearer. Fr. Schmitt graduated from St, Mary's Grade School in Henry and high school and college and seminary at the Josephinum College in Worthington, Ohio, where he was ordained on May 30, 1959, by Archbishop Exidio Vagnozzi, apostolic delegate to the United States. In his 62 years of priesthood, Father Harold has served parishioners at St. Patrick in Ottawa, Immaculate Conception in Monmouth, St. Philomena in Peoria, Immaculate Conception in Carthage, Sacred heart in Dallas City, St. Mary in West Point, St. Augustine Church in St. Augustine, St. Patrick in Raritan, St. Mary in DePue, St. Mary's Cathedral in Peoria, St. Mary in Kewanee, St. Maria Goretti in Coal Valley and St. Mary in Ottawa and was Chaplin to Daughters of St. Francis of Assisi in Lacon and St. Joseph's Nursing Home in Lacon. Fr. Harold was a member of the Knights of Columbus, Eugene M. Dunn #8321, Lacon Council.