William Frederick Schick
1955 - 2023
William Frederick Schick, age 67, Phillipsburg, passed away April 10, 2023, at the Hays Medical Center in Hays.
He was born August 10, 1955, at the Phillips County Hospital, on August 10, 1955.
He was baptized August 28, 1955, and confirmed May 17, 1970, in the Lutheran faith at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Stuttgart, where he currently was a member.
He graduated from Phillipsburg High School with the Class of 1973, Barton County Community College with an Associate of Arts degree in 1975, Fort Hays State University with a Bachelor of Music in 1978, and Fort Hays State University with a Masters of Music in 1979.
After graduating from Fort Hays State University, he taught instrumental music at Plainville for 21 years. He taught high school and seventh-grade vocal music during his last four years at Plainville. During these 21 years at Plainville, he sponsored the Crimson Cardinal Dance Team. His 1993 and 1999 bands were selected to perform in the Citrus Bowl Parade in Orlando, Florida. William then had the opportunity to move back home to Phillipsburg, where he served as band director for 19 years. He looked forward to taking the bands to the State Fair at Hutchinson every year, where they were awarded first-division ratings for at least 22 consecutive years.
William enjoyed teaching from fifth to twelfth grade and watching the student’s progress as musicians and young adults. His favorite times were teaching in the classroom, the concerts, and the fifth graders' excitement at being able to play Mary Had A Little Lamb for the first time. William taught music to hundreds of students and enjoyed seeing them succeed at contests or being selected for various honor groups. He was just as happy for a student receiving a two or three rating as he was for the first-division ratings. William served as a guest conductor or woodwind instructor for many honor bands and taught for many years at the Hal Palmer High Plains Band Camp. He was director of the Chime Choir at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Stuttgart, and First Lutheran Church, Plainville, and sang with the choirs. He was a guide and conductor for the C & R Railroad Museum, Phillipsburg. He held memberships in the following organizations: Phi Beta Mu, a national band directors fraternity; Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, a professional music fraternity; Kansas Music Educators Association, where he served as President for the Northwest District, chaired numerous district events, and served two years on the state board; Music Educators National Conference; Kansas Bandmasters Association; National Educators Association; Barton County Community College Alumni Association; and a lifetime member of the Fort Hays State University Alumni Association.
His most recent honor was being inducted into the KMEA Hall of Fame in 2021. In 2023, a ceremony was held at Phillipsburg High School to hang his picture and plaque to commemorate this accomplishment permanently. William retired from teaching in 2019 but continued to substitute teach in the Phillipsburg and Logan school districts until his death.
William enjoyed being active in his church, spending time at the shop, and attending his niece's and nephews' activities.
William is survived by his parents; two brothers, Merlyn and Steven Schick of Phillipsburg; two sisters Anita Powell and her husband Joel of Colby, Nancy Jenner and her husband Mike of Prairie View; three nephews Travis Powell and his wife Athena of Wheat Ridge, Colo., Trenton Powell and his wife Ashley of LeMars, Iowa, and Trevor Jenner and his wife Nichole of Phillipsburg; four nieces Tara Powell of Salina, Trista Cline and her husband Brandon of Derby, Tori Jenner of Overland Park and Toni Jenner of Wichita; three great-nieces Madison and Molly Powell of LeMars, Iowa, Callista Powell of Wheat Ridge, Colo., and two great-nephews Nolan and Ryan Cline of Derby.
Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 15, 2023, at the Huck Boyd Community Center, Phillipsburg, with Pastor Lee Bennight officiating. The services will be streamed live on the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel Facebook page. Burial will follow in the Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery, Stuttgart.
Mr. Schick will lie in state from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday in the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel, Phillipsburg, with the family receiving friends Friday evening from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. for visitation.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church.
