David J. Smith, 66, of Randalia, died Monday, September 11, 2017, at his rural Randalia home surrounded by his loving family.
Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m. Monday, September 18, 2017, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Hawkeye with Rev. Jim Harbaugh officiating. Interment will follow at Hawkeye Cemetery. Friends may call from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Sunday, September 17th at Becker-Milnes Funeral Home in Hawkeye and for one hour preceding services at the church on Monday. Memorials may be directed to the family for designation at a later date.
David Joseph, son of Robert and Elizabeth “Betty” (Holtzman) Smith was born September 13, 1950, in Peoria, Illinois. He was baptized in the Lutheran Faith in Illinois and would later be confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church in Oelwein. In 1955, the Smith family moved to rural Oelwein. David graduated from West Central High School in 1968, and would continue his education at Dunwoody College of Technology in Minneapolis. While in high school, he worked at Rueber’s Chevrolet in Westgate, and also following his time at Dunwoody. On July 11, 1970, he was united in marriage with Peggy Fox at St Francis of Assisi in Fayette. The couple would later divorce. David ran the Shell Station in Oelwein from 1972 until 1975, when he moved to the farm in rural Randalia. He began farming in the spring of 1976, and did so up until his health no longer permitted. In addition to crop farming he also raised hogs, cows, chickens, and sheep. David was able to have his career also be his passion. In 1991, David met Charlene and the couple has been together for twenty six years. David was an excellent trap shooter, enjoyed working on machinery, watching his favorite driver, Dale Earnhardt, Sr., and reading.
David is survived by his spouse, Charlene; three children and ten grandchildren, Angie (Jeremy) Hundley of Waterloo and Rylee and Drew, Heidi (Neil) Wilkinson of Fairbank and Tate and Cael, and Derek (Heidi Eitel) and Maeley, Nile, Myla, and Isabell, Lilli, and Blake; step-son, Matthew (Sunny) Schwirtz of California and families; one brother, Chuck (Judy) Smith of Oelwein; one sister, Debbie (Randy) Toenjes of Anamosa; one brother-in-law, John (Sandy) Blaess of Decorah; several nieces and nephews; and beloved companion, Willie.
He was preceded in death by his parents, granddaughter, Sadie Smith; step-daughter, Judy Schwirtz; step-granchildren, Hunter and Josie Schwirtz.
David always enjoyed going uptown for coffee or happy hour to spend time with friends, but one of David’s greatest joys was seeing his grandchildren.
