SMITH, Thomas Joseph (1949-2005)

SMITH, PETERSON, KING, MC CLEARY, GUTTEBO, CRAVENS

Posted By: Jane Adams (email)
Date: 12/14/2007 at 23:19:45

Fairfield Ledger
Jan. 9, 2006.

Thomas Joseph Smith, age 56 of Fairfield went to his heavenly reward at 10:00 P.M. Thursday, January 5, 2005 at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City.

Tom was born on August 20, 1949 in Keosauqua, Iowa the son of Carroll and Joanne King Smith.

Tom attended school in Birmingham and graduated from Fairfield High School in 1968.

Later in life he attended Indian Hills Community College and graduated with honors in 1982.

He married Lorene (Lori) Peterson on November 9, 1969 in Fairfield. Tom is the father of three sons. Tom worked at Rockwell/Meritor as receiving clerk and retired after 30 years.

He received many awards for his volunteerism including the Governor’s Volunteer of the Year for co-founding the Lord’s Cupboard in Fairfield. In 1989 Tom and his wife were named Fairfield Little League Volunteers of the Decade. Tom was a Little League coach and manager for many years, as well as a board member. During his term on the board, he helped bring Little League Girl’s Softball to Fairfield, as well as the Fairfield Invitational Tournament. Tom received the National Scoutmaster of the Year Award for the Boy Scouts of America for his many years of service as scoutmaster, committee member, and Lake Wapello Preservation Officer.

Tom was a loving husband and father. He was especially proud of his role as grandfather. Tom enjoyed collecting country music and Elvis memorabilia. He also enjoyed watching the many birds that came to feed at the numerous birdfeeders he kept filled. Tom was also fond of reading and studying his Bible.

He was preceded in death by his father Carroll Smith and his mother Joanne King, grandparents and one niece.

Surviving are his wife, his sons and their families: Curtis and Donna Smith, their children Zach and Maddie of Fairfield; Matthew and wife Melissa Smith and their children Jacob, Jessie and Cala of Keosauqua; and Nathan Smith of Fairfield and his significant other Rachel. He is also survived by his sisters Jeannine Mc Cleary of Fairfield, Jerilyn Guttebo of Cocoa Beach, Florida and Kimberly Cravens of Ottumwa and 1 brother Kenton Smith of Humboldt, Tenn.

The family will receive friends on Sunday, January 8th from 4:00 until 6:00 P.M. at the Raymond Funeral Home in Fairfield.

A Memorial Service of Remembrance will be at 2:00 P.M. Monday at the Friends Church in Fairfield with Pastor Dave Elmore officiating.

Interment will be a later date.

Memorials have been established to the Lord’s Cupboard or to the Fairfield Little League. To honor of Tom’s memory and his philosophy of life, the family requests that each person reach out and help another and to volunteer time for a good cause.

Arrangements are in the care of the Raymond Funeral Home in Fairfield.
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Printed with permission of the Fairfield Ledger.
This data transcribed for genealogy purposes; I am not related to the subject.