Smith, Reuben E. 1910-2002

SMITH, FRANKE, LOCKE

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 10/20/2008 at 19:52:03

Reuben E. Smith

LE MARS, Iowa -- Reuben E. Smith, 92, of Le Mars passed away Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2002, at Brentwood Good Samaritan Center in Le Mars.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Friday at Presbyterian United Church of Christ in Le Mars, with the Rev. Tim Olsen officiating. Graveside services will be 3 p.m. Friday in Rosehill Cemetery, Parker, S.D. Visitation will be after 2 p.m. today, with the family present 6 to 8 p.m. and a prayer service at 7 p.m., at Mauer-Johnson Funeral Home in Le Mars. Visitation will resume one hour prior to the service Friday at the church.

Reuben Emory Smith was born June 3, 1910, in Bridgewater, S.D., the son of Lucius and Emma (Franke) Smith. He received his education in Parker, S.D. Following his education, he worked for a construction company as a gravel truck operator and later for Standard Oil Co.

He married Winetta Locke on March 14, 1936, in Parker. In 1937, he began his career with the Central Telephone Co. in Parker. In January 1938, they moved to Little Rock, Iowa, where he managed Central Telephone in the Little Rock and Ashton, Iowa areas. In 1941, they moved to George, Iowa, where his area of responsibility, with the phone company, was enlarged to include George, Inwood and Larchwood, Iowa areas.

The family moved to Le Mars on June 1, 1957. He continued his work with Central Telephone as a district plant supervisor. Following a 38 year career and numerous awards and recognition's, he retired on July 1, 1975. He moved to Brentwood Good Samaritan Center on Oct. 23, 2002.

He was a member of Presbyterian United Church of Christ. He enjoyed yard work and fishing. Most of all he enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren.

He will be lovingly remembered by his wife, Winetta; two sons, Emory Smith of Manteca, Calif., and Stuart Smith and his wife, Colleen (Nipp), of Cherokee, Iowa; a daughter, Sheilah Puetz of Orange City, Iowa; seven grandchildren, Shawn, Shannon and Matthew Smith, Michael Smith and his wife, Carrie (Hauswald), Stacia Smith, Curtis Puetz and his wife, Mary (Morgan), and Crisinda Puetz; two great-grandchildren, Joshua Smith and Maia Smith; a sister, Jessie (Mrs. Otto) Anderson of Viborg, S.D.; and a brother, Harris Smith of Groveland, Calif.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two sisters, Leona Jones and Esther Seils; and two brothers, Alvin and Frederick Smith.

~Source: The Sioux City Journal; part of the Darrell E. Obituary Collection