A Memorial Mass for Ben Schmit, age 87, of O'Neill, will be at 10:30 A.M., Tuesday, November 22, 2016, at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in O'Neill.  Inurnment will be in the O'Neill Cemetery with Military Rites by the O'Neill American Legion Simonson Post #93 and V.F.W. #926.  Memorial Visitation will be Monday, November 21, 2016, from 5-7 P.M., with a 6:30 P.M. Knights of Columbus Rosary at Biglin's Mortuary in O'Neill.

Ben passed away November 17, 2016, at the O'Neill Care and Rehabilitation Center.

Memorials may be made to St. Patrick's Catholic Church.

Benedict John Schmit was born on September 16, 1929, in Atkinson, NE, to Nicholous and Elizabeth (Olinger) Schmit.  He attended country school south of Atkinson until the 8 ^th grade.  He was drafted in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and was Honorably Discharged in 1954.  After his service, he returned to Atkinson and farmed with his family.  Ben met Mary Alice Musil at a dance and their mutual love of polka eventually led to their marriage on June 20, 1956.  To this union, 3 children were born:  Peggy, Bernard, and Susan.

The family lived in Atkinson for a couple of years before they moved north of O'Neill in 1960, and they stayed there until 1969.  They moved to O'Neill in 1970.  Ben hauled hay for Emmett Hay Company and also worked for O'Neill Transfer as a driver.  He later worked for Cole Sand and Gravel for several years before retiring in 2007.

Ben was a lifetime member of the V.F.W., a member of the Knights of Columbus, as well as St. Patrick's Catholic Church in O'Neill.   He liked to play cards, mainly pitch.  Ben also enjoyed dancing and listening to polka music in his spare time.

Ben is survived by his two children, Peggy Bohlmann  of O'Neill, and Bernard Schmit of O'Neill; one son-in-law, Kevin Schmitt of Pocahontas, IA; four grandchildren, Seth Schmitt and wife Jacque, Jacob Schmitt and fiancé Kaylee Lanus, Josh Schmit, Noah Schmit; one great grandson, Michael Blaise; two brothers,  John Schmit and wife Eileen of O'Neill,  George Schmit and wife Udonna of Atkinson; four sisters, Betty Meyer of Wayne, Catherine Steinhauser and husband Jim of Stuart, Leona Troshynski and husband Len of Guthrie Center, IA, Eleanor Jones of Atkinson; many nieces and nephews.

Ben was preceded in death by his wife, Mary in 2009; one daughter, Susan Schmitt in 2011; one son-in-law, Burnell Bohlmann; five brothers, Michael, Nicholous, Clarence, Richard and Raymond Schmit; two sisters, Mary Ann Osborne, and infant Rose Mary Schmit; and three brothers-in-law, Milo Meyer, Earl Jones, and Richard Osborne.