SMITH, Austin Dwaine

SMITH, MOOMEY, ALLPRESS, CHERINGTON, GREEN, HELM, MCCLUSKEY

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 4/2/2015 at 10:32:47

Obituary ~ Austin Dwaine Smith
April 29, 1924 ~ August 20, 2003

Leon Journal-Reporter
Leon, Decatur County, Iowa

Austin D. Smith, age 79, of Garden Grove, Iowa, son of Edson F. and Grace Merlee Moomey Smith, was born on April 29, 1924 in rural Clarke County near Osceola, Iowa and died on August 20, 2003 at the Decatur County Hospital in Leon.

Austin spent his yourth near Murray, Weldon, and Osceola, Iowa. He graduated from Osceola HIgh School in 1942 where he excelled in sports competition, winning the sportsmanship award.

Austin married Dorothy Allpress on May 16, 1944 at Osceola. He spent most of his adult life farming and working in agri-related businesses. Austin retired following a back-related injury. He loved gardening and raising beautiful flowers. Caring for his livestock was an important chore. He also was a sports fan, epecially the Iowa Hawkeyes and Phladelphia Phillies. A top prioity of things to accomplish was his desire to make his community a better place to live and raise a family. He was mayor of Garden Grove for over 30 years. He was a Charter Member of Garden Grove Lions Club.

He was preceded in death by his wife Dorothy on November 9, 2002, daughter Merlee, his parents, brother Clifton, Brother-in-law Dannie L. Cherington, brother-in-law William Allpress, and his step-mother Ethel (Eithel) Smith.

He is survived by his son Randall Smith of Garden Grove; brother Eldon Smith of Garden Grove and family; brother Robert Smith of Garden Grove and family; sister Lali N. Cherington of Osceola and family; sister Betty Green of Thorton, Colorado and family; sister Lola Helm of Milan, Illinois and family; sister Connie McCluskey of Elkhorn, Wisconsin and family; brother-in-law Wayne Allpress of Lineville and family; sister-in-law Dorothy Allpress of Redding, California and family; many nieces and nephews, and other relatives and friends.

Funeral services were held Saturday, August 23, at Slade - O'Donnell Funeral Home in Leon with the Rev. Max Carmichael officiating. Burial was in the Garden Grove Cemetery.

A memorial fund has been established by the family.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, March of 2015