Francis G. Schmelzle, 96, of Liberty, Missouri, died Sunday, August 17, 2014.

He was born October 9, 1917 on a farm North East of Emmett, Kansas, the son of George and Katherine Tholl Schmelzle. He attended Halligan County Grade School in Emmett, KS. He worked on the family farm until 1938 when he went to Iowa to do farm work. In 1941 he went to Kansas City, Mo. to attend and graduated from the National School of Aeronautics. During the war he worked in Cuero Texas, Patterson Field Ohio, Dayton Ohio, and in Panama when the war ended. After the war, he worked for the CO-OP Service Station in Seneca, KS for ten years.

On June 29, 1948 he married Isabel Mohrman in St. Benedict, KS. They were married

65 years. She died March 4, 2014. They lived in Seneca until he took an airline mechanic job for TWA in 1966. He retired from TWA in1981. He also worked diligently as one of the first employees in establishing the company of Western Forms.

He took pride in his cabinetmaking, remolding his basement, and growing tomatoes and red roses. He enjoyed fishing and camping at Roaring River in the Ozarks. He was recognized in the neighborhood as the man on his red scooter—going to the store. He loved to watch the KC Royals baseball on TV while sitting on his front porch. He always had a story to tell to family and friends.

Survivors are his daughters Janet McGuire and Nancy Schelle of Kansas City, MO; a son Alan (Kelly) of Kansas City, MO; a granddaughter Deborah Bond (Stuart) of Gladstone, MO; grandson Desmond McGuire of Gladstone, MO; and great-grandsons’ Mark Anthony Gulotta and soon-to-be baby Bond of Gladstone, MO.

He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, and brother’s Albert, Carl, Leo, and Leonard.

Visitation will be held at the Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca one hour before the funeral. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Fr. Arul Carasala on Saturday, August 23, 2014 at 10 A.M. at St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Seneca with burial in the church cemetery.

Memorials will be determined at a later date and may be sent in care of the family.