Keith L. Schmoker

Keith L. Schmoker, 92, of Wichita, KS, went to sleep and peacefully passed to his Heavenly home on Sunday, September 14, 2025, at Regent Park Assisted Living, in Wichita, KS. Keith had happily transitioned to his new home at Regent, on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, after a recent fall at his home, and rehabbing at their facility.

Keith was born on Monday, March 6, 1933, the tenth of eleven children, to John F. Schmoker and Hattie (LaRue) Schmoker, at the family farm south of Oberlin, KS, where his family attended a small, non-denominational, country church with a "roving" pastor.

Keith attended grade school in Oberlin, KS, and graduated from Decatur County High School, in 1951. After graduating high school, he joined the United States Navy where he was proud to have served his first year in school in Jacksonville, FL, and his second year as a Petty Officer 3rd Class in Atsugi, Japan, before being transferred to the VF53 Fighter Squadron. He served as an Aviation Ordinance man on the U.S.S. Valley Forge and U.S.S. Philippines Sea aircraft carriers, in the Korean Conflict, until he was honorably discharged in 1955. Jobs were scarce after Keith was discharged from the Navy, so he took advantage of the G. I. Bill and enrolled at Wichita State University. After one semester, Keith was hired by Kansas Gas and Electric ("KG&E"), as an Operator at their Murray Gill Steam Electric Generator Plant, west of Wichita. He worked at KG&E from 1956 to 1992, when he happily accepted early retirement. Keith retired as a Shift Operating Foreman.

Keith married his first wife, and mother of his daughters, Carol and Diane, Barbara L. (Brooke), on Saturday, October 20, 1956, at her parents' home in Ava, MO. Barbara had moved to Wichita from Ava with two girlfriends, and was working at National Life and Accident Insurance Company with Keith's oldest sister, Kathryne Schmoker, and she introduced them. Keith and Barbara were happily married 30 years, until she went to her Heavenly home on Saturday, June 27, 1987, after a battle with esophageal cancer. Keith faithfully cared for Barbara at home, with the assistance of Barbara's friends from Parkview Baptist Church, while he was at work.

Keith's daughters recall a happy, loving, care-free childhood filled with flowers, many pets, including their Bantam chickens, a garden full of wonderful vegetables, "the best grass in the neighborhood," and many trips to visit relatives on both sides of the family, as well as wonderful fishing vacations to Minnesota and their Aunt Lois Schmoker's family-built cabin outside of Colorado Springs, CO. Keith joked about how he never got to do much fishing, because he was unraveling/untangling baiting/rebaiting fishing lines for three women and two little girls.

Keith met his second wife, Nola F. (Huffines) Goodman, at a Thursday night singles meeting at First United Methodist Church, where they immediately hit it off. For their first date, they went to have ice cream together. Keith and Nola were married in a small family ceremony at Nola's home, on Saturday, May 20, 1989. When Keith married Nola, he became a stepdad to her two sons, Norman and David Goodman, and grandpa to Norman's boys, Tyson and Cary. Nola expanded Keith's horizons by introducing him to collecting Carnival Glass. They were members of the Air Capital Carnival Glass Club and enjoyed hosting many monthly meetings in their home, and traveled around the country to many auctions. Keith laughingly tells the story of going to his first auction with Nola, and her bidding on a plate. She won the bid, and the Auctioneer said, "Sold to the lady in the front row, whose husband just passed out." It wasn't too long after, and Keith purchased his first plate. Nola also taught Keith to square-dance, and they were active members of Cessquares and enjoyed a memorable trip to a National Square-Dancing Convention.

Keith and Nola were happily married 33 years. During the last few years of their marriage, Nola was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. As he did with his first wife, Keith faithfully cared for her at home, as long as he could. When she finally had to be admitted to Regent Park Long-Term Memory Care Facility, Keith would eat lunch, take a one-hour nap, then visit with Nola until dinner time, every day, until she went to her Heavenly home on Monday, March 14, 2022. Keith and Nola were members of Crossroads Church where they attended faithfully and served as greeters and they also participated in Meals on Wheels, until her health declined. Keith then drove for the Red Cross doing blood pick-ups and drop-offs, for several years. Every week, when he made his delivery in Tulsa, he would have lunch with his daughter, Diane.

Keith was preceded in death by his parents; his wives, Barbara Schmoker and Nola Schmoker; brothers, Glen Schmoker, Robert "Bob" Schmoker, and Kenneth Schmoker; infant sisters, Neva Schmoker and Alice Schmoker; sisters, Freda (Schmoker) Vernon, Lois Schmoker, Kathryne Schmoker, Faye Schmoker, and Mary (Schmoker) Steele; and stepson, David Goodman.

Keith is survived by his daughters, Carol Schmoker of Dallas TX and Diane Parker of Tulsa, OK; stepson, Norman Goodman of St. Charles, MO; Norman’s wife, Kris Goodman of Republic, MO; grandsons, Tyson Goodman and wife Arleen of Haughton, LA, and Cary Goodman and wife Audrey of Edmond, OK; five great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews; and a lifetime of friends.

In lieu of flowers, Keith requests donations be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

Celebration of Life Service for Keith will be held at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, September 24, 2025, at Lakeview Funeral Home. Entombment will follow the service at Lakeview Cemetery in the Mausoleum, 12100 East 13th Street North, Wichita, KS 67206.

For those who are unable to attend in person, Keith's service will be live streamed at, https://client.tribucast.com/tcid/c25095248711704