O'Brien County Bell, 29 Jan 1947, p. 7
Ralph U. Smith
Rites Thursday
Funeral services for Ralph U. Smith, 55, who died at his home Monday, following an illness of about five months, was held at 10 a.m. Thursday, at the chapel of McCauley and son funeral home with the Rev. Alvin Rogness, pastor of Trinity Lutheran church officiating.
Mr. Smith was born August 8th, 1891, at Hartley, Ia. He left the farm to move to Spencer in 1910. He married to Ida B. Netvig at Waukegan, Ill., June 19th, 1919. Since 1939 he has made his home in Mason City and was a conductor on the Milwaukee road. He was brakeman for five years and had been a conductor for the past 25 years.
He was a member of the ORC and of the Masonic Lodge in Mitchell, S. D. During World War 1 he enlisted in the 384th Infantry of the 163rd Depot Brigade, on April 8, 1918, at Spencer. He received his discharge with the rank of Corporal December 31st, 1918, at Camp Dodge, Ia.
Surviving are his widow and son, Ferdis Smith, Mason City, his mother Mrs. Clara B. Smith, Santa Anna, Calif. He was preceded in death by his father, a sister, and a brother.
Interment was made on Thursday afternoon in the family lot in Pleasant View cemetery at Hartley. Foley Funeral home was in charge of the services with Rev. Stanley Kruschwitz, minister of the Methodist church conducting the service. Pallbearers were G. C. Sauer, Wendell Sauer, Russell Sauer, Ernest Ahrenstorff, Eugene Ahrenstorff, and Henry Kruckenburg. The deceased was a cousin of Mrs. Ernest Ahrenstorff and her brothers, Grover and Will Sauer.
Transcribed by Alan Nicholson