Richard Lynn SMITH

SMITH, LUICK, KRAMER, ELIASON, BROWN

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/10/2024 at 13:06:55

May 10, 1940 --- January 7, 2018

Richard "Dick" L. Smith, 77, of Belmond, IA, died Sunday, January 7, 2018, under hospice care at his son's home in Belmond, IA. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM Friday, January 12, 2018, at the Belmond United Methodist Church, 1031 1st St. S.E., Belmond. The Reverend Leila Blackburn will be officiating. Visitation will be on Thursday, January 11, 2018, from 5-7 PM at Andrews Funeral Home, 516 1st St. S.E., Belmond and will continue one hour prior to the funeral at church Friday. Memorials may be directed in Dick's name to his family% 408 3rd Ave. S.E., Belmond, IA 50421.

Richard Lynn Smith, the son of LuVerne and Marion (Luick) Smith, was born May 10, 1940, at Belmond Hospital, Belmond. Dick attended Belmond Community Schools and graduated from Belmond High School in the Class of 1958. During his school years Dick participated in football and was a coronet player in the marching band. On the football team he was the punter and a wide receiver and for many years had been the proud owner of the school record for being on the receiving end of the longest touchdown pass reception. Hard to say but this special time in his life and being an athlete likely sparked his loved for the Green Bay Packers, The Iowa Hawkeyes, and more importantly his love of being an ardent supporter and cheerleader at his kids and grandkids sporting events and other extracurricular activities. Dick truly looked forward to watching the Pack and the Hawks and wore his love for them both staunchly. He looked forward to attending local sporting activities of his family including, football, wrestling, and basketball. In the earlier years he looked forward to roller-skating and was quite the proficient skater as he danced about the floor of the are venues. he met his wife Sharon Kramer at the roller-skating rink in Garner, IA. The two were very good skating dances and were often seen tooling about the area rinks. The were married at the Zion Evangelical Reformed Church (Today's Zion United Church of Christ. The couple's union was bless with children: Tim, Todd, Troy and Aimee. Their union lasted 19 years before they were divorced.

Following high school Dick started his long time career in the lumber business as the manger of Fullerton Lumber in Belmond. The after the Belmond tornado of 1966 he transferred to Fullerton Lumber in Latimer, IA and then he and his family moved with the company to Arcadia, WI, where he continued to be the manager. After the location closed he worked for a time a the local cheese factory and then eventually the family returned to Belmond.

Upon settling back in Belmond Dick went to work for Central Soya until it closed. He then jumped back into the lumber field where he was employed for stints of time at Rowan, Belmond, and Klemme Lumber Companies. In more recent times he was employed with Sports Cages in Belmond.

He very much enjoyed golfing and bowling in the earlier years of his life and loved all kinds of outdoor recreational activities commencing in his youth all the way to the end of his life journey, including as recently as being on deer hunting outings with his sons this past season. Dick loved the rush of hunting a flushing pheasant, and adrenaline that flowed from him as ducks and geese would set their wings over decoys, or pass by on frosty fall morning at an area marsh of field. One of his favorite passions was fishing be it to a local lake, or river, and excursion to the Decorah trout streams, or a trip to Canada with his family and friends starting in 1986 thru 2016. He had countless fish stories and many trophies to prove them. He had been to various Packers games during the family's years in Wisconsin.

Dick truly was a people person and loved to get-together for family gatherings, especially Christmas. He enjoyed many great friendships and hunting and fishing buddies in addition to his family. He loved breakfast and coffeeing at Subway and other spots with friends and for many years he could be found waiting at the local bowling alley for it to open so he could catch up on the news of the days with his friends over his favorite Pepsi glass. Dick enjoyed old westerns, fifties music, and watching the Twins. He also could often be see in attendance at numerous Pheasants Forever and Ducks Unlimited events over the years. His family miss him in countless ways

He is survived by sons: Tim Smith, Belmond, IA, Todd (Peggy) Smith, Belmond, IA, and Troy (Jonni) Smith, Belmond, IA; and a daughter Aimee Smith, Britt, IA; his grandchildren: Kaci Eliason, Easton Smith, Owen Eliason, Hunter Smith, Bryce Smith, Cloe Brown, Kati Brown, Bradley Brown, and Wyatt Smith; a nephew and niece Thad and Nikki Smith, and other family. Dick was preceded in death by his parents, brother Ronald Smith, little brother Larry Smith, and ex wife Sharon Smith. Andrews Funeral Home, Belmond, IA.

http://www.andrewsfuneralhomeandfloral.com/fh/obituaries/obituary.cfm?o_id=4514139&fh_id=14473