SMITH, Michael John 1948-2009

SMITH, HAGEN, DEPRENGER

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 1/21/2009 at 10:06:30

NORA SPRINGS, IOWA - Michael John Smith, age 60, who was born on December 7, 1948, in Nora Springs, Floyd county, Iowa, died Sunday, January 18, 2009, at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit with his family at his side after a courageous three-year battle with cancer.

Memorial services will be held 1 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 22, at First Presbyterian Church, 100 S. Pierce Ave., Mason City, with the Rev. Paul Collier officiating. Inurnment at Rock Grove Cemetery in Nora Springs will be held at a later date.

A gathering of friends and family will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. today at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Ave., with a Masonic service at 6:30 p.m. Memorials may be directed to the Michael J. Smith Memorial Fund in care of the family.

Mike, a son of John L. and Doris M. (Hagen) Smith, attended school and graduated in Nora Springs. He was confirmed at St. Luke's Lutheran Church.

After finally convincing the love of his life, Diane "Annie" DePrenger to marry him, they were wed Dec. 28, 1969.

Mike was a dedicated railroad man, and worked as a locomotive engineer for nearly 40 years with the Minneapolis, Northfield & Southern, Chicago & Northwestern, and Union Pacific.

Mike's greatest joys were his family, particularly his grandchildren. He enjoyed fixing anything that was broken and passing on that knowledge to others. He also enjoyed classic cars. Mike was a member of the Rock Sirius Masonic Lodge and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.

Mike is survived by his wife, Annie Smith; children, Kelly (Paul) Arickx, Brandy Smith (Jon Branstad), and Stacy (Charles) Hoard; grandchildren, Emma, Samuel, Sadie, Margaret, Ava, Eric, Allie and Kayla; siblings, Ron Smith, Jae Lea (Gary) True, Randy (Candy) Smith and Terry (Sharri) Smith; brother-in-law, Dan DePrenger (Barbara Forbes); mother-in-law, Donna DePrenger; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, John L. "Bud" and Doris M. Smith; and father-in-law, Donald K. DePrenger.

Major Erickson Funeral Home, Mason City, is in charge of arrangements, 641-423-0924; www.majorericksonfuneralhome.com

[Published in the Mason City Globe Gazette online 1/21/2009 - www.globegazette.com ]

Floyd Obituaries maintained by LaVern Velau.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen