SMITH, Bert LaSalle: Died 1946

SMITH, CLARK, BEEMAN, SMILEY, WILLIAMS

Posted By: Volunteer: Sherri
Date: 11/1/2016 at 19:34:35

**Handwritten: Rec. Rep. 21 Nov. 1946

BERT L. SMITH

Bert LaSalle Smith was born in Laplata county, Colorado, May 26, 1885, and passed away Oct. 26, 1946, at his home in Compton, Calif. The second son of Sylvester L. Smith and Mary Rebecca Clark, and the great grandson of Greenup Smith, who was the first treasurer of Jefferson county. Both his parents were born in Van Buren county, Iowa. He was left fatherless at the age of two months. In his early life his home was with his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. J.L. Clark of Eagle School District No. 8 in Jefferson county.

As a young boy he lived in Libertyville with his mother and sisters. He attended Fairfield High school one year, and one year at Birmingham high school where he was a classmate of the late Neal Greenfield. In 1904 the family moved to Mt. Pleasant where they resided for seven years. He graduated from Iowa Wesleyan college in 1908. On April 8, 1910 he was united in marriage with Miss Ferne E. Beeman of Mt. Pleasant, formerly of Batavia, Iowa.

During the World War II he was assistant head chemist for the Hercules Powder Co. at Baraboo, Wisc., locating in California for his future home last March.

He united with the Bethel Methodist church when about nine years of age and was baptized by Rev. John Fraker, who was the pastor at that time. He lived a consistent christian life.

An indulgent loving husband, an affectionate father, an adored son and brother, and a loyal friend, he will long be remembered and honored for his sterling qualities of industry, tolerance, fortitude, kindness and sympathetic understanding.

He is survived by his widow, three sons, Burton MacLynn of Madison, Wisc., Dr. Miles Beeman, still with the armed forces at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and Dustin Meredith of Detroit, Mich.; one daughter, Marian, at home; two sisters, Mrs. V. Nevada Smiley of Yakima, Wash., and Mrs. Cecile A. Williams of Livermore, Colo.; and one uncle, T.M. Clark of Wichita, Kansas.

Funeral services were in charge of the Masonic lodge in Compton on Oct. 29 and at the Methodist church in Agency, Iowa, Nov. 4 with interment in the cemetery there.

Source: Van Buren Co. Genealogical Society Obituary Book H, Page 20, Keosauqua Public Library, Keosauqua, IA