SMITH, Ervey W.

SMITH, REUTER, OLSON, FREEMAN, ROBERTS

Posted By: Pat Ludeke (email)
Date: 8/17/2013 at 11:39:34

ERVEY W. SMITH

CLEAR LAKE - Ervey W. Smith, 88, of Clear Lake, died Saturday (March 17, 2001) at the Muse-Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit, Mason City.

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday at Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, 101 N. Fourth St., Clear Lake, with the Rev. Gary Johnson, hospice chaplain, officiating. Inurnment will be at a later date at the Clear Lake Cemetery.

The family will greet friends one hour prior to the service on Saturday. Memorials may be given to Zion Lutheran Church or Hospice of North Iowa in memory of Ervey W. Smith.

Ervey was born Feb. 12, 1913, in Kendallville, the son of Charles D. and Adelle (Reuter) Smith. He graduated from Cresco High School in 1932.

Ervey married Nellie Mae Olson in 1936. His long sales career began in 1934 with Singer Sewing Machine in Mason City. He continued to manage Singer stores in various cities until he acquired his own retail store, Smith-Herzog Sewing Center in Marshalltown, in 1947. Erv was the organizer and first president of the Independent Sewing Machine Dealers of America. He formed Anker Corp. of Iowa and the Tall Corn Distributin. in 1952.

After selling his businesses in 1956, Erv and Nell moved to Clear Lake in 1957, where they lived at 2611 S. Lakeview Drive for 41 years. Erv's career continued with regional sales manager work for Viking Sewing Machine, Minneapolis, Minn. His retirement in 1978 allowed motor home travel to Texas and Arizona, in addition to his lakeside enjoyment and expert hunting in Canada and the West. His family was his priority.

After moving from their home, Erv and Nell resided at Willow Pointe Assisted Living and the I.O.O.F. Home. Erv's final residence was Good Shepherd Health Center.

He was a member of Zion Lutheran Church in Clear Lake.

Ervey is survived by three children, Larry A. Smith of Las Vegas, Nev., Carolyn A. Freeman and her husband, Fredric, of Boulder, Colo., and Douglas C. Smith and his wife, Patricia, of Lisle, Ill.; seven grandchildren, Lyndon B. Smith and his wife, Rose, of Las Vegas, Nev., Robin E. Holmlund and her husband, Brian, of Canton, Mich., Kurt A. Smith of West Yellowstone, Mont., Christopher B. Smith and his wife, Andrea, of Frederick, Md., Marc K. Freeman of Boulder, Colo., Karin M. Freeman of Sacramento, Calif., and Stacy S. Schick and her husband Rodd, of Lisle, Ill.; four great-grandchildren; and one sister, Vera Roberts, of Stockton, Calif.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Nellie Mae Smith, April 5, 2000; and one brother, Harland D. Smith.