Eugene George SMITH

SMITH, MINER, CHAFFER, DUNCAN, BECKER, HAYNES, KELLER, SCHENONE, THOMPSON, WELCH, HALL

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 11/8/2015 at 16:37:40

January 24, 1933 --- October 13, 2015

Eugene G. Smith, 82, of Humboldt, passed away October 13, 2015 at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines. Funeral services for Gene will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday at the Faith United Methodist Church in Humboldt with the Rev. Alberta Ervin and Rev. Christy Ehrle officiating. Visitation will be 4-7 p.m. Friday at the Church. The Mason-Lindhart Funeral Home is assisting the family.

Eugene George Smith, the son of Jesse George and Florence Chaffer (Duncan) Smith, was born January 24, 1933 at Kanawha, Iowa. He was raised and educated at Kanawha and graduated from Kanawha High School in 1950. He attended Waldorf Junior College in Forest City where he received his provisional teaching certificate and began his teaching career at the age of 19 in the Meservey school district. He then taught in the Kanawha school district before coming to Humboldt in 1956. In 1961, he received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Education from Drake University.

He was united in marriage to Marcene Becker Miner on June 18, 1967. During his career, Mr. Smith received additional education from Texas A&M University, Augustana College, Brown University/Rhode Island Black Heritage Society, and the University of Wisconsin. Mr. Smith retired from teaching in 1995 after 39 years of service to the Humboldt Community School District. Gene was a member of the Iowa State Education Association, the Humboldt Educational Association, and a life member of the National Education Association. He was a member of the Faith United Methodist Church in Humboldt where he served as past Administrative Counsel Chairperson, Staff Parish Relations Co-Chairperson, Trustee Co-Chairperson, Youth Counselor, and Conference Board of Education of the United Methodist Church Chairperson. He served as a former Mental Health Advocate for Humboldt County and a lay pastor and speaker in churches of North Central Iowa since 1952. He provided extended pastoral care to the Congregational churches of Humboldt, Emmetsburg, Belmond, Rowan, Fort Dodge, Manson, Moorland, and Blairsburg; Baptists churches of Gilmore City, Renwick, and Corwith; and Presbyterian churches of Rolfe and Goldfield.

Gene is survived by his wife, Marcene Smith of Humboldt; children, Stephanie Lee Haynes of Lake Havasu, AZ, Wayne Alan (Mary) Miner of Humboldt, and Michelle Marie (Keith) Keller of LaVista, NE; grandchildren, Celeste (John) Schenone of Lake Havasu, AZ, Tammy (Mark) Thompson of Lidderdale, Joel (Dianna) Haynes of Livermore, Kristen Welch of Joy, IL, Brett (Beth) Miner of Des Moines, Elizabeth Miner of Minneapolis, and Matthew Keller, Rebecca Keller, and Joseph Keller all of LaVista, NE; great grandchildren, Ashley (Gordy) Hall of Texas, Trent Schenone of Texas; Trevor (Katie) Schenone of Lake Havasu, AZ, Bryanna Thompson a student at Cornell College, Ross Thompson of Lidderdale, Logan Welch and Gage Welch both of Joy, IL, Ryan Haynes and Reagan Haynes, both of Livermore, and Wayne Albert Miner of Des Moines. Also surviving Gene are his brothers, W. David (Calene) Smith of Kanawha and Paul L. (Marlene) Smith of Britt. His parents, Jesse G. and Florence C. Smith, preceded him in death.

Mason-Lindhart Funeral Home - Humboldt, Iowa
http://www.masonlindhart.com/obituaries/Eugene-Smith-15/#!/Obituary