George E. "Coonie" SMITH

SMITH, PALS, THAYER, KINSEY, DRAKE, FORBES, HANSEN

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 7/9/2010 at 12:37:53

Belmond Independent - Iowa
August 9, 2000

George "Coonie" Smith, 77, of Belmond, died Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2000, at Mercy Medical Center North Iowa in Mason City. Funeral services were held Friday, Aug. 11, at United Methodist Church in Belmond with Pastor Celestyne DeVance officiating. Eulogies were given by Coonie's children, Pam, Wayne and Gretchen. Music was provided by Maxine Jenison, organist; Maxine Whitty, vocalist. Pallbearers were Rick Brooks, Wayne Smith, James Drake, Michael Smith, Jack Kinsey and Guy Nathan Kinsey. Honorary bearers were Francis Ainger, Wilmer Gabrielson, Tom Rouchka, Ed Stoffer, Don Stoffer, Ralph 'Turner, Verlyn Keeling, Bud Boelman, Rich Brooks, Kurt Ahlstrom, Virgil Draper, and Fred Suntken. Ushers were Don Robinson and Ralph Johnson. Interment was at the Immanuel Reformed Cemetery with graveside military rites by the Belmond Honor Guard.

George E. "Coonie" Smith was born March 13, 1923, to George and Mattie (Pals) Smith. He attended school through the eighth grade and worked on the farm until entering the USA Army during World War II. He married Genevieve Thayer on August 27, 1945 in Belmond. They would have celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary this month. Coonie had his own construction business; went to auctioneering school in Mason City in 1952; raised Purebred Hampshire hogs which gained him several national awards; and in 1990 retired due to ill health. He was a softball pitcher for many years; attended many sporting events; loved fishing and boating; liked to play cards; and had a special interest in new and used cars. Coonie and Genevieve spent many winters in Texas since Coonie's retirement.

Preceding him in death were his parents; and a stillborn son, Sherman, in 1961. Survivors are his wife Genevieve; his daughter and son-in-law, Pamela and Jack Kinsey of Farmington, MI; a son and daughter-in-law, Wayne and Debra Smith of Yorktown, VA; a daughter and son-in-law, Gretchen and James Drake of Lincoln, NE; grandchildren, Kristine, Mattie and Guy Nathan Kinsey -Andrea, Elizabeth and Michael Smith - Madison and Harrison Drake; sisters Irene Forbes of Jackson, FL, and Marlene Hansen of Plymouth, MN.