John I. Smith (1916 - 1996)

SMITH, YAUSLIN, JACQUES, BLIETZ, KUNDERT

Posted By: Dorothy Gosse (email)
Date: 10/21/2007 at 19:25:49

John I. Smith, 80 of Lansing, Ia., formerly of Miami, Fla., died Thursday, Sept. 12, 1996 in Veterans Memorial Hospital, Waukon, Ia., after a brief illness.

He was born Jan. 13, 1916 in Clermont, Ia. to John I. and Millie (Yauslin) Smith. He married Leota M. Jacques on Nov. 20, 1936. He moved to Miami, Fla.in 1957, where John managed the Cloverleaf Bowling Lanes and was instrumental in organizing the Lee Evans Memorial Tournament of the Americas. This organitation brought together athletes from North, Central and South America to compete in bowling. He was the founder of the North Dade Chamber of Commerce. He retired and moved to Lansing, Ia., in 1990.

He was the winner of many community awards, and an honorary life member of the Florida D.T.A. The newest elementary school in Doral Park was named the John I. Smith Elementary May of 1996, in recognition of his dedication to education by the Dade County Public Schools.

He is survived by a sister, Mrs. Vernon (Doris) Blietz of Lansing, Ia.; a step-daughter, Betty Kundert of Burnsville, Minn.; four step grandchildren; and 10 step great grand children.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his wife, Leota.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, Sept. 16, in the West Clermont Lutheran Church, Clermont, Ia. Rev. Joseph Nesheim will officiate and burial will be in God's Acres Cemetery, Clermont, Ia. Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. today, at Schutte's Clermont Chapel, Clermont, Ia.

Source: La Crosse Tribune, La Crosse, WI, 15 September 1996