Ivan Charles Smith 1921-2006

EWING, SMITH, MAY, ROFFMAN, GALLAGHER, FRANKLIN, DECKER, CHRISTOFFERSON, KUNKAT, KERVIN

Posted By: Volunteer
Date: 12/8/2006 at 08:57:58

Martin Funeral Home

Ivan Charles Smith
(October 31, 1921 - November 16, 2006)

Ivan C. Smith, 85, of rural Postville, IA, died Thursday, November 16, 2006 at Gunderson Lutheran Hospital in La Crosse, WI. Visitation will be held Sunday, November 19th at Martin Funeral Home in Waukon, IA, where friends may call from 2:00 until 6:00 p.m.. Private memorial services will be held at a later date.

Ivan Charles Smith was born October 31, 1921 at the family farm on Woodchuck Ridge in rural Postville, IA, to Stephen S. and Alfreda (Ewing) Smith. He attended the Forest Mills School.

Ivan and Esther Louise May were united in marriage on April 20, 1942 at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Waukon.

Ivan and Esther farmed in the Forest Mills area for 30 years and continued to live in the area during retirement. Ivan enjoyed the great outdoors; hunting, fishing and trapping were his favorite pastimes. Many hours were spent walking the fields and riverbeds searching for Indian artifacts. As the years passed his collection grew and he delighted in telling the stories behind each find. After retirement, his favorite hobby was gathering treasures from the neighborhood dumpster, which he referred to as "The Store". Ivan always enjoyed lively conversation and practical jokes.

He will be greatly missed by his wife Esther of rural Postville; his children, Sylvia Roffman and William (Marlene) Smith, both of Waukon, Lorraine (Maury) Gallagher and Stephen M. Smith, both of Postville, and Donna (Stan) Franklin of Henderson, NV; 18 grandchildren; 36 great-grandchildren; and 2 great-great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents; 3 brothers, George, Leonard and Milbourne; 4 sisters, Cora Decker, Sylbert Christofferson, Alice Kunkat and Goldie Smith; and a stepdaughter, Gloria Kervin.