FRANCIS "SMITTY" SMITH, 95, of Cherokee, Iowa and former longtime Cleghorn, Iowa resident passed away Sunday afternoon, September 28, 2014 in the Cherokee Regional Medical Center.

Funeral services will be held on Thursday, October 2nd at 1:30 p.m. at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Cherokee. Pastor Jean Morse and Pastor Delmar Carlson will officiate. Burial will be in the Meriden Cemetery with military rites by L.A. Wescott Post #2253 of the V.F.W. There will be a family prayer service at 1:15 p.m. at the church on Thursday. Visitation will be held on Wednesday from 2 p.m. until 8 p.m. with the family present from 6 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. at the Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee. Online condolences can be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com The family requests that memorials be made to the Cleghorn American Legion Olson Post #486.

Smitty was born on January 28, 1919 at Cleghorn, Iowa to Darwin & Elizabeth (Kinzel) Smith. He graduated from Cleghorn High School in 1937. Smitty was a veteran of WW II serving in the U.S. Army in the 41st Infantry and receving two bronze stars for heroism in combat. He was married to Phyllis Bjorklund on May 20, 1950 in Cherokee, Iowa. He was a lifetime member of L.A. Wescott Post #2253 of the V.F.W., a member of the Cleghorn American Legion Olson Post #486 of which he was the adjuctant for over 40 years. Smitty had worked for Goodrich & Carris Oil Co. after WW II and then was the Postmaster in Clehgorn from 1957 until retiring in 1987. He had been a lifelong resident of Cleghorn until moving to The Gardens in Cherokee in September of 2012. He was a member of the Bethlehem Lutheran Church, National Association of Retired Federal Employees and had served on the Cleghorn Fire Department for 37 years. Throughout his life, Smitty enjoyed woodworking, golfing, hunting, fishing, traveling with Phyllis and family and the time he spent with other family members and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Phyllis on May 13, 2001, two brothers Robert and Milton Smith, four sisters Marjorie Parker, Lois McGowan, Mary Lundell and Betty Wykoff.

He is survived by his three children: Jerry (Karen) Smith of Grand Junction. Colorado; Jane Ann (Joel) Lundquist of Maple Grove, Minnesota; Nancy (Jerry) Cottrill of Alba, Missouri; 5 grandchildren; 4 great grandchildren; one brother and one sister: Donald Smith of Aurelia, Iowa and Iris (Lyle) Schmillen of Seal Beach, California; also many nieces and nephews.