SMITH, Gary Donald

SMITH, ZOOK, CAVENDER, MACLEOD, JUDKINS, WATKINS, DIERKER, MAU-ASAM, GREENLEE, RYSDAM, LOLLMANN

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 1/1/2017 at 08:50:08

Obituary ~ Gary Donald Smith
September 04, 1941 - December 17, 2016

Gary Donald Smith, eldest son of Donald Dean Smith and Gladys Anita (nee Zook) Smith, was born on September 4, 1941, in Osceola, Iowa and passed from this life on December 17, 2016, at the Wayne County Hospital in Corydon, Iowa at the age of 75 years.

Raised on the family farm near High Point, Gary was truly a farmer and outdoorsman at heart. He loved working the land and appreciated the beauty and challenge of nature, not only in Iowa but, in Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas, some of the many places he loved to visit.

Gary’s first year of formal education in Garden Grove was only the beginning of a life-long dedication to schooling. Not only did kindergarten introduce him to his future career in teaching, but it was also Gary’s first meeting with the love of his life, his wife, Ivanna Dianne (nee Cavender) Smith. After graduation from the newly formed Mormon Trail School District in May of 1960, Gary and Ivanna were married at the home of Gary’s parents on August 28, 1960. The newlyweds moved to Ames, where Gary attended Iowa State University for one semester before transferring to Northwest Missouri State University. Taking some time off from school after the birth of their daughters, Teresa Marie and Anita Renee, Gary and Ivanna moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico and then What Cheer, Iowa before Gary returned to Northwest Missouri State, where he earned his degree in 1966.

In the fall of 1966, Gary began teaching in Diagonal, Iowa, with a passion for the job that never wavered, and his career in the teaching of math, science, and computer programming to high school students took him from Diagonal, to New Hartford, Iowa, to Underwood, Iowa, and then back to Mormon Trail and then Lamoni, the school district from which Gary retired in 2000. During the years he taught, Gary continued to work the family farm, spending summers living at the farm. Upon his retirement, Gary continued to work on the farm with Ivanna, working the land until the time of his death.

In his spare time, Gary was an accomplished woodworker and an avid reader of both fiction and non-fiction, reading everything from Louis L’amour to presidential biographies and everything in-between. Gary was also a member of Clay Masonic Lodge #193 and Centerville Eastern Star, Chapter #239. A very active member, Gary served as the Worthy Grand Patron of Iowa in 2010. His membership in the OES family was something that Gary treasured.

Preceding him in death were Gary’s parents; brothers-in-law, Mac MacLeod and Larry Judkins; and sister-in-law, Shirley Smith.

Survivors include his wife, Ivanna Smith of Garden Grove, Iowa; daughters and sons-in-law, Teresa and Brent Watkins of Humeston, Iowa and Renee and Bill Dierker of St. Louis, Missouri; grandchildren, Brandi Watkins Mau-Asam and husband Jorge of San Juan, Puerto Rico, Tyler Watkins of Boston, Massachusetts, Michelle Watkins of Iowa City, Iowa, Eric Greenlee and wife Lindsay of Lubbock, Texas, and Kyle Greenlee of St. Louis; great grandchildren, Angelique and Alexander Mau-Asam; sister, Shirley Rysdam and husband Doug of Osceola, Iowa; brother, Austin Smith and wife Willie of Garden Grove, Iowa; sister-in-law Ernestine Judkins of Des Moines, Iowa; sister-in-law Judie Lollmann and husband Steve of Lincoln, Nebraska; nieces and nephews; and other relatives and many friends.

Memorial services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, March 17, 2017, at the Humeston Christian United Methodist Church in Humeston, Iowa with a celebration of life luncheon to follow. Arrangements were through the Slade – O’Donnell Funeral Home of Leon and Lamoni, Iowa. Memorial donations may be made to Wildwood Hills Ranch or the organization of the donor’s choice.

SOURCE: sladefuneralhome.com/obituaries/Gary-Donald-Smith?obId=1252251#/obituaryInfo

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, December of 2016

Decatur Obituaries maintained by Constance McDaniel Hall.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen