Donald Leonard Smith (2010)

CAUDILL, PFEIFFER, PORTER, SMITH, WHITE

Posted By: Mary Welty Hart
Date: 7/29/2010 at 15:19:08

Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Wednesday, July 26, 2010

DONALD SMITH, Peru

Donald Leonard Smith, 90, of Peru died July 21, 2010, at his home.

Funeral services were held Monday, July 26, at Grace Baptist Church in Winterset. Burial was at Ebenezer Cemetery, Truro. Memorial contributions may be made to Middle River Hospice. Funeral arrangements were handled by Kale Funeral Homes of Osceola and Truro.

Don Smith was born July 5, 1920, in Osceola to Harold Wells and Idris Mabel (White) Smith and grew up on various farms in Clarke County. After graduating from Truro High School in 1938, Don continued his life as a farmer. He was a school bus driver from 1939 to 1942 and owned his own bus. During that time, he farmed with his dad. He also raised purebred Angus. His marriage to Esther Evangeline Caudill took place Aug. 7, 1941, in Murray. Don was a member of Grace Baptist Church in Winterset.

He was preceded in death by one son, Aaron D. Smith; a granddaughter, Danielle J. Porter; and a brother, Willard Smith.

He is survived by his wife, Esther, of Peru; two sons, Larry D. Smith of Truro and Terry A. Smith of Winterset; two daughters, Barbara J. Pfeiffer of St. Charles and Rebecca E. Porter of Peru; two brothers, Richard Smith of Colorado City, Colo., and Darrell Smith of Neshkoro, Wis.; and 12 grandchildren and 32 great-grandchildren.
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Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Wednesday, August 4, 2010

DONALD LEONARD SMITH, Peru

Donald Leonard Smith, son of Harold Wells Smith and Idris Mabel (White) Smith was born July 5, 1920, in Osceola, Iowa, and passed from this life July 21, 2010, in his home near Peru, Iowa, at 90 years of age.

Don was united in marriage to Esther Evangeline Caudill on Aug. 7, 1941, in Murray, Iowa. Five children blessed this union. He was a member of Grace Baptist Church in Winterset. Those relatives who preceded Don in death were his parents; brother, Willard Smith; son, Aaron D. Smith; and granddaughter, Danielle J. Porter. He leaves to cherish his memory his wife, Esther Smith of Peru; brothers Richard (Betty) Smith of Colorado City, Colo., and Darrell (Hazel) Smith of Neshkoro, Wis.; sons Larry D. Smith (Elizabeth) of Truro and Terry A. Smith (Ladonna) of Winterset; daughters Barbara J. Pfeiffer of St. Charles and Rebecca E. Porter (Timothy) of Peru; 12 grandchildren; 32 great-grandchildren; many nieces and nephews; and other relatives and friends.

Don grew up the second oldest of four boys on various farms in Clarke County. Growing up during the Depression, his family was poor but he often said that he never knew it. He walked six miles to school every day and his dad told him, “If you get tired of walking, just run awhile.” After graduating from Truro High School in 1938, Don continued his life as a farmer. He was a school bus driver from 1939 to 1942 and owned his own bus. During that time, he farmed with his dad. He loved raising cattle, especially his herd of purebred Angus. When Don began farming, he used teams of horses. Tractors eventually replaced horses, and many hours were spent on his tractors — from his WC Allis to the IH 886. Some neighbors teased him when he was the first in the neighborhood to put an umbrella on his tractor. Don never realized his dream of becoming a “real” cowboy, but his 4-wheeler gave him a sense of freedom as he frequently toured his land surveying the condition of his crops and cattle.

Don enjoyed reading, especially literature with historical value and Westerns. He not only enjoyed reading other people’s stories, but he was a great storyteller himself, often fascinating those around him with stories of his childhood, farming, and many times, the characters he had met along the way. He had a dry but quick sense of humor and would apply a few well-chosen but simple words to a situation that would quickly get the point across. Living to be 90 years old gave Don the capacity to engage others and guide us all through his living example.

Funeral services were held at Grace Baptist Church in Winterset on Monday, July 26. Arrangements were handled by Kale Funeral Homes of Osceola and Truro. Interment followed at Ebenezer Cemetery, Truro. Memorial contributions may be made to Middle River Hospice.

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