10/16/2025
Mass of Christian Burial for Harvey Bernard Schmitt, age 84, of Muenster will be held at 10:00 AM on Thursday, October 16, 2025 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Burial to follow at Sacred Heart Cemetery. Rosary and Vigil will be held at 7:00 PM on Wednesday, October 15, 2025 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church.
Harvey Bernard Schmitt was born on the morning of August 22, 1941 to Al and Evelyn (Otto) Schmitt at the clinic, which is now Doc’s on Main Street. Later that afternoon, during his baptism, he was given his name, Harvey Bernard. He always claimed that Ernest Tubb was playing just across the street. Most of his childhood was spent growing up on the Schmitt Farm west of Muenster, where he still made daily trips to check on things at Rocky Top.
Being the second of 6 children, Harvey was a rambunctious child, with many scars to prove it. He apparently had trouble staying away from the wood burning stove in their kitchen and ended up burning his knee, leaving a lifelong scar. Another memory he often told was how he took his brother Wayne’s new bike and decided to see if he could ride it across the ice and ended up with a broken femur.
Harvey graduated from Sacred Heart Catholic School in 1959 where he drove the school bus his senior year. He went on to support the school throughout his entire life. He then served on active duty in the National Guard for a year and a half before returning to Muenster where he worked at Endres Motor Company for 3 years. He married his high school sweetheart, Della Mae Hartman, on August 24,1963. They were married for 49 blissful years; the love they had for one another was unconditional and devoted, an example showing us what to strive for in our own relationships. They were blessed with 3 cherished children: Stephen, Vickie, and Debbie. Harvey and Della both made sure that faith was the center of their family. Their children, like both of them, attended Sacred Heart Catholic School. Every night they gathered together in the living room for bedtime prayers and grace was said before each meal.
Harvey worked at Muenster Enterprise from 1964-1969 and was a machinist at Valenite Metals for more than 30 years while also installing home appliances and TV antennas at Muenster Butane, with Stephen alongside him. He also worked for Fleitman Backhoe Company for over 10 years, and after retiring he often gave rides or brought parts to Michael and Roberto as soon as they called for help. He always enjoyed working multiple jobs, which allowed Della to take care of the home and their children. Della and the kids often brought Harvey supper during his break at Valenite, but he was always much more excited to see them than the supper.
Harvey was kind, gentle and quiet natured- that might’ve been because Della did most of the talking, but he didn’t have to say much for you to know that he loved you. Della also did most of the disciplining, but every now and then Harvey would try to scare the kids by quickly removing his belt. It usually ended up just being funny instead of being a punishment. If the kids ever did get a spanken, it hurt Harvey more than it hurt them.
Despite being busy working two jobs, Harvey also managed to serve on the Muenster Volunteer Fire Department from 1965-1996 and was the Chief in 1971, ‘80, and ’81. He took great pride in being able to help keep his community safe.
Harvey made every effort to be at anything his kids were involved in. He was blessed with 7 grandkids and 7 great grandkids with 1 on the way; and man did he love those grandkids. He went to every one of their events that he could, whether it was baptisms, birthdays, football, track, cross country, lacrosse, 4-wheeler races, ½ marathons, or basketball; he was there.
He often went out to Vickie’s to join the girls for their weekly craft night, just to get a little extra time with the grandkids and great grandkids. We loved getting to spend a little more time with him too. There were many times he would excitingly bring us out to the farm so he could show us something he had been “tinkering” with and had finally gotten fixed. Electrical, tractors, cars, you name it, he could fix anything. He always had the “Pop Pop Tractor”, an antique John Deere, ready to go for hayrides at the Hartman Campout. The whole Hartman Clan would hear him fire it up and go running to get on the trailer for a hayride with Uncle Harvey.
Each grandkid has a handmade clock made by him for their wedding, as woodworking was another one of his favorite hobbies. Scattered throughout many of our homes are the benches, wishing wells, flowerpots, step stools, mangers, nativity cutouts, and countless other treasures he built—pieces we’ll cherish forever. Another one of our favorite times with him was our annual camping trip to Shady Lake, Arkansas. Most of our time on these trips was spent playing in the creek, making campfires, s’mores, just being together and always lots of pondering.
Harvey had a way of making people feel like they fit right in, always welcoming new in-laws with open arms and couldn’t wait to get to know them and tell them all about his family. He was also known to have the inside connection with Aunt Pat as a distinguished member of the Rohmer’s liver and onion call list.
Over the years, many trips were made between Muenster and Tyler by both Harvey and Stephen entailing tinkering with and restoring old Fords and antique tractors. In more recent years, Harvey was Vickie’s main sidekick while feeding and checking cattle, allowing their relationship to grow even stronger. Harvey was always a welcomed guest on Debbie’s back porch to watch any sports games, and they shared a love for good Texas country music, especially Gary P. Nunn. He could never turn down a monster cookie from Melba, a sample of Doug’s latest rib flavor or an evening watching the Texas Rangers with Coach. Della must have always told him to keep a close watch on their three kids, which he did avidly with the Find my Friends app on his iPhone.
Harvey is survived by: His children Stephen, and wife Michelle Schmitt, Vickie, and husband Doug Fleitman, Debbie, and husband Don Neu; grandchildren: Tim, and wife Sarah Schmitt, Daniel, and wife Katie Schmitt, Mikayla, and husband Josh Sims, Mikenzie, and husband Ryan Thacker, Michael, and wife Samantha Fleitman, Karli, and husband Nat McEwen, and Koby Hogan; great grandchildren: Natalie, Nicole, and Peter Schmitt, Rowan and Caston Sims, Blakely Thacker, and Della McEwen; siblings: Loretta Victor and Rick, Tom, and wife Glenda Schmitt, Joyce, and husband Jess Hall, Doris, and husband Jerry Penny; in-laws: Myra Schmitt, Edna Tompkins, Carolyn Hartman, Georgia Wolf, Gene Hartman, Pat and John Yosten, and many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents: Al and Evelyn (Otto) Schmitt; wife: Della (Hartman) Schmitt; brother: Wayne Schmitt; niece: Jennifer Schmitt, and other loved ones.
Through the years, there were two things that never waivered: Harvey’s faith and his love for Della. Harvey regularly attended daily mass, First Friday, Monday night novenas, confession, and prayed the rosary. His devotion to his faith is how he was able to completely love Della. Since the day she passed away, he never ever stopped loving her. He has always kept a picture of her in his wallet right next to his driver’s license. Any chance he had to tell a story about her, he would tell one. And we were always so excited to hear it, even if we had already heard it 100 times before. He loved and served until the very end.
Harvey passed away peacefully on October 12th and we know without a doubt that he fulfilled his heavenly duty here on earth. We can hear the Lord saying to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Muenster Volunteer Fire Department, Sacred Heart Trust, or Sacred Heart Alumni.
