Morris Elry Smith, 1924 – 2011

SMITH, UTTER, ALBRIGHT, JONES, HUGHES, DUNCAN, ADOLPHSON, ANDERSON

Posted By: Sandy Ficken (email)
Date: 4/13/2011 at 15:15:40

Mass of Christian burial for Morris E. Smith, 86, Davenport, formerly of Marengo, will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Jan. 28, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Marengo. He died peacefully at the Kahl Home, Davenport, Sunday, Jan. 23, 2011.

Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. until service time at the church.

Interment will be in Marengo Memorial Cemetery.

A time of fellowship with family to celebrate the lives of Morrie and his wife Jean will follow the service in the parish hall.

Memorials may be made to the Kahl Home.

Morris Elry Smith was born March 6, 1924, in Davenport, the second youngest child of Elry and Leone Smith. He and his six brothers and sisters grew up on Davenport’s west side. He attended Davenport High School until enlisting in the service at the beginning of World War II. He was proud to have served in the United States Navy aboard PT Boat 234, Squadron 23, and saw action in both the European and Pacifc theatres of war. He was discharged in 1946.

He married Juanita Jean Utter Nov. 27, 1948, in Davenport. The couple had 13 children.

His career path included wholesale appliance sales for RCA and Amana Refrigeration. He eventually headed up the service department for Tri-City Sales, Bettendorf, before deciding to go out on his own in 1977, opening the Marengo Tap Room and later his own appliance store, MS Appliance, in Marengo and Williamsburg.

He and his wife were active in St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Marengo.

Smith is survived by his loving children and their spouses, Patricia and Steve Albright, Los Angeles, Calif.; Mark and Sandra Smith, Clarendon, Hills, Ill.; Jeffrey and Christine Smith, Prophetstown, Ill.; Rebecca Jones, Kutztown, Pa.; Russell and Maurine Smith, Anderson, S.C.; Kevin and Karen Smith, Jacksonville Beach, Fla.; Catherine and Dan Hughes, Bettendorf; David Smith, Davenport; Mary and Greg Duncan, Brookfield, Wis.; Lisa and Barth Adolphson, Cedar Rapids; Paul and Lana Smith, Indianola; William and Diane Smith, Marengo; Andrew and Kim Smith, Marion; 42 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren and one sister, Shirley Anderson, Scottsdale, Ariz.

He was preceded in death by his dear wife of 62 years, Jean, who died Nov. 29, 2010, and whom he missed terribly.

The Williamsburg Journal Tribune, Williamsburg, Iowa, 27 Jan 2011, pg 3