Shirley Crawford Schmidt Taggart, 87, died April 19, 2012, at Wesley Towers in Hutchinson. She was born Sept. 2, 1924, in Lyons, daughter of Ansel E. Crawford and Elsie Potwin Crawford. She attended grade school in Lyons and graduated from Lyons High School in 1942. She graduated from the University of Kansas with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1946 and was a member of the Lamda Chapter of Chi Omega Sorority. After graduation from K.U., she was an art teacher at Hutchinson High School from 1946-50, while also teaching art at the Hutchinson Junior College from 1946-49.

She married her best friend's brother, Winston A. Schmidt, in Lyons on Oct. 1, 1949. After a honeymoon trip to New Orleans, they lived in Hutchinson, where Mr. Schmidt was an architect for Mann and Co. Mr. Schmidt died in an airplane accident Sept. 15, 1977.

Survivors include: her daughter, Ann Schmidt Cranor and her husband Timothy W., Mission Hills; granddaughter, Mary Elizabeth "Libby" Cranor, Mission; grandson, Thomas Winston Cranor, Olathe; a niece, nephews and cousins; and the extended family of Lisa, Jim and Julie.

In 1956 Mrs. Schmidt joined Morton Interiors and Galleries where she began a long, rich relationship with Mrs. Ada Morton Willer-Peterson, her mentor, teacher, friend and eventual partner. Mrs. Schmidt retired from Morton Interiors and Galleries as an interior decorator and gallery director in 1996. Mrs. Schmidt was a founding member of the Hutchinson Art Association in 1949 and served in various offices including president, in addition to being a longtime board member. She was a charter member of the Kansas Watercolor Society, a member of the Kansas Federation of Art, a member of the Prairie Watercolor Society, and a director and officer of the Lester Raymer Society. Mrs. Schmidt began her illustration and sketching career in the 1940's when she collaborated with Horace Jones of the Lyons Daily News illustrating numerous articles on the development and settling of the Kansas prairie. This continued into the early 1950's when she illustrated Kansas history articles by Ernest Dewey of the Hutchinson News, in combination with her husband, Winston. This later lead to a long association by Mr. & Mrs. Schmidt with the Hutchinson News in which they became known for their monthly calendar sketches. These sketches of familiar and not-so-familiar subjects appeared as "Kansas Sketches" each month on the front page of the Hutchinson News. The calendar sketches were the inspiration of Mr. Stuart Awbrey, editor of The Hutchinson News, and ran from 1966-1997 (daughter, Ann, became a contributor with her mother after the death of her father, Winston). The working collaboration between Mrs. Schmidt and her husband, Winston Schmidt, lasted several decades. Together they designed, decorated and built custom residential homes in Hutchinson and throughout western Kansas. They additionally produced many works of art currently residing in public and private collections. Mrs. Schmidt was a long-time member of the First Presbyterian Church of Hutchinson, where she served as an elder and church historian for many years. She also was a member of P.E.O. Chapter EK, Hutchinson, Kansas, where she served as president, in addition to other offices.

Mrs. Schmidt married Mr. Claude Taggart, a fellow member of her 1942 Lyons High School graduating class, on September 23, 1995, in Hutchinson, Kansas. They became reacquainted at their 45th Lyons High School reunion. They enjoyed life together for over a decade. Mrs. Schmidt Taggart was an incredible individual with an eye for design and a deep love and appreciation of people and life. Those folks lucky enough to have ever received an illustrated letter from her know that she was a talented artist, writer and observer of life in all of its facets.

A private burial service will be held in Lyons, followed by a Memorial Service at 11 a.m. Monday, April 23, 2012, at the First Presbyterian Church in Hutchinson. Friends may call from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday at Elliott Mortuary. Memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church in Hutchinson or the Hutchinson Art Center, in care of Elliott Mortuary. Please visit www.elliottmortuary.com to leave a condolence for the family.