Paul Damian Smith

Paul Smith, age 93, of Storm Lake, Iowa died on Tuesday, August 21, 2018 at the Buena Vista Regional Medical Center in Storm Lake. Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, August 25, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. at the St. Mary's Catholic Church in Storm Lake. Burial will be in the St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery in Storm Lake with military honors by Storm Lake AMVETS Post 66. Visitation will take place on Friday, August 24, 2018 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. with a KC Rosary at 7:00 p.m. all at the Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in STORM LAKE. The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake is in charge of the arrangements. Paul D. Smith was born June 18, 1925 in Storm Lake Iowa. He was the third of four sons born to Albert and Mary “Mayme” (McKenna) Smith and was raised on a family farm Southeast of town. His first two years of school were at Storm Lake St Mary’s but he graduated from Sulphur Springs in 1942. While his older brothers were in the service he and his younger brother helped their dad with the farming operation where they raised cattle, hogs and row crops. After his brothers returned from active service, Paul enlisted in the Army and spent time in Korea after the war. Upon his return, he used his GI bill to obtain his private pilot’s license and along with his brothers, purchased a Piper Cub airplane. Like hundreds of other young people of this generation, he met the love of his life at the Cobblestone Ballroom. While dating Norma Johnson he thought it would be slick to pick her up one Sunday afternoon at her parent’s farm near Albert City in his airplane. But when preparing to land on the unpaved road, he decided the narrow strip next to the power lines was not wide enough and he used the oat stubble instead. Paul and Norma were married on May 31st, 1950 in Laurens. The first few years they rented area farm places while continuing to engage in the family farming operation. In the spring of 1954 they moved into the house that they would call home for over 60 years and celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary there in 2015. The “green house on the south side of the road” was where Jon, Paula, Kris, Phil, Lou, Sarah and Rob were raised. A million memories were formed there. It will forever be home to his family. More than just a farmer, Paul was actively engaged for many years in the promotion of soil conservation techniques and served several terms as a BV County Soil and Water Conservation District Commissioner. Every time there was a “gully washer of a rain” he would lament poor soil conservation practices. He knew how easy it was to prepare a proper waterway as a minimum effort to slow the erosion of topsoil and had a keen eye for laying out a contour plan for a sloping field. He enjoyed the responsibility of being a farmer and was truly a steward of the land. Being a part of a large extended family (Paul had 80 first cousins between the McKennas and Smiths) made life interesting and was normal back then. He enjoyed being able to recall so many names and stories. Raising a large family was easy for him and he loved every minute of it. Truth be told, he thought it would be good to live a little longer to “spend more time with the kids”. He will be deeply missed by all those who knew him. Those left to cherish his memory include his children: Jonathon Smith of Jefferson, Iowa; Paula (Ron) Long of Sac City, Iowa; Phil (Jane) Smith of Harlan, Iowa; Lou (Don) Krueger of Austin, Texas; Sarah (Fred) Selinger of Urbandale, Iowa; Rob (Michelle) Smith of Storm Lake, Iowa; son-in-law, Todd Anderson of Linn Grove, Iowa; 16 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; cousins; nieces; nephews; extended family and friends. Paul was preceded in death by his wife, Norma Smith; parents, Albert and Mayme Smith; parents-in-law, Art and Elva Johnson; daughter, Kristine Anderson; siblings: Bob (Enid) Smith; Albert Smith; and Mike (Mary) Smith. In lieu of flowers, please consider planting a tree as a reminder of Paul.

Paul Damian Smith

June 18, 1925 - August 21, 2018