Obituary of Clarence Smith

Clarence, the oldest child of Clarence E. Smith Sr. and Susie Belle (Harris) Smith was born June 17, 1917 on a farm northwest of Paullina, Iowa. His parents had two more children, Lucille and Russell. Soon after Russell’s birth, Susie was called to her heavenly home by wartime flu. Clarence Sr. married Vera (Harris), younger sister of Susie, March 2, 1922. To this union, six girls were born: Erma, twins – Arlene and Maureen, Ruth, Ellen and Ione. As a child and young adult, Clarence Jr. developed a very deep interest in livestock and 4-H, and was elected the first O’Brien County 4-H president. Clarence attended country school at Dale #4 in Paullina, often riding a horse to school. He graduated from Paullina High School in 1934 and attended Iowa State College where he majored in Animal Husbandry. His education prepared him to become a Dairy Herd Improvement Association supervisor. February 6, 1940 Clarence married Lucille Dorothy Horstman, daughter of William and Josephine Horstman, at the Presbyterian Church in Cleghorn. They began farming near Meriden, Iowa and later farmed near Cleghorn. They moved to the Hartley area in 1945 where they raised their eleven children. Clarence accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior and Lord in 1979. He attended Parkview Assembly of God Church in Sheldon where he served as a Sunday school teacher and deacon. Clarence farmed and raised registered Chester White pigs and registered Guernsey dairy cows. He sold seed corn and was a district manager for a seed corn company for 15 years. He loved playing the card game “500”, had an eye for quality livestock, enjoyed a good laugh and took pleasure in making woodworking items for family and friends. Clarence continued his interest in 4-H as a leader and was actively involved in the O’Brien County Fair Board for 33 years. He was inducted into the Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame in 2004. Clarence and Lucille retired to Hartley in 1987. Lucille passed away March, 1992. They were married for 52 years. He entered Hartley Community Memorial Health Center in 2002 and passed away there at the age of 96. Left to cherish his memory are his children: Joyce (Jim) Waskow of St. Louis, MO, Charles (Fay) Smith of Harlan, IA, Wayne (Louise) Smith of Atlantic, IA, Louise (Carl) Nutzman, Sugar Land, TX, Janice (Myron) Person, Spokane, WA, Larry (Connie) Smith, Harrisburg, SD, Ken (Lori) Smith, Hartley, IA, Ron Smith, Janesville, WI, Marlene (Bill) Vyoral, Sugar Land, TX, Delores (Jim) Simmelink, Adair, IA and Mark (Vivian) Smith, Mankato, MN, 31 grandchildren and 48 great-grandchildren; sisters, Lucille Sullivan of Omaha, NE, Erma Sheley of Littleton, N.H., Maureen Johnson of Grimes, IA, and Ione (Arnold) Kehoe of Magnolia, TX, brother-in-law, Paul Rohwer of Sutherland, IA, 3 sister-in-laws, Irma Horstman of Hartley, IA, Bette Horstman of Marcus, IA, Betty Horstman of Boone, IA. Clarence was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Lucille, three sisters, Ruth MacPherson, Ellen Rohwer, Arlene Lamont, and one brother, Russell Smith. In Celebration of Life Clarence Emory Smith, Jr. Born ~ June 17, 1917 Died ~ June 18, 2013 Age ~ 96 years 1 day Memorial Service 11:00 a.m. Saturday, June 22, 2013 Parkview Assembly of God Sheldon, Iowa Clergy ~ Rev. Ken Snyder Scripture Readers Brent Waskow Robert Smith Ryan Person Austin Vyoral Pianists ~ LuAnn Snyder Congregational Singing “I Love To Tell The Story” “He Lives” “How Great Thou Art” “What A Friend We Have In Jesus ” Pallbearers Kyle Smith Nathan Smith David Nutzman Javen Smith Jordan Smith Ryan Simmerlink Honorary Pallbearers Brandon Smith Landon Smith Jeremy Person Philip Nutzman Brian Nutzman Paul Smith Internment Pleasant View Cemetery Hartley, Iowa