Obituary – Thomas Smith
SEDALIA — Thomas Joseph Smith, 89, died Thursday, March 9, 2017, at E.W. Thompson Health and Rehab Center. He was born south of Sedalia on December 24, 1927, the ninth child of James D. and Marie (Schaffer) Smith.
On December 26, 1954, he was married to the love of his life, Rosalie Miller, at the Morton Church in rural Ray County, Mo. They lived at the family farm on Kemp Road north of Sedalia, helping care for his parents. In the early 60’s they moved to north of Smithton where they began their Arator Valley farm.
Tom was a lifelong Pettis County resident and a full time farmer and enjoyed all of it. He began raising Limousin cattle and for 38 years marketed them throughout the Midwest, into 22 states and four foreign countries. This couple attended World Limousin Conferences in Canada, Brazil, New Zealand, Australia, France, Denmark, Ireland and here in the US at Fort Worth, Tx.
Five of his older siblings served our country in World War II and he served two years in the US Army, a year of it in Germany. He was a graduate of Hughesville High School in 1946.
He was a longtime member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. Also he was an active member of the Pettis County, Missouri, and National Cattlemens’ Associations and the North American Limousin, Heartland and Missouri Limousin Associations.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Rosalie, a sister, Mary Klosterman of Bellevue, Wa, sisters-in-law Mary Smith, of Ozark, Mo., and Louise King, of Hardin, Mo., and brother-in-law, Paul Miller (Geneva), of Sallisaw, Ok., and many nieces and nephews. Preceding him in death were his parents, brothers, Robert (Gail), Edwin (Joyce), Gordon (Rose), sisters Shirley (Dan Duly and Jim Doty), Martha (Milton) Bohon, Margaret (Joseph) Jenkins and Dorothy (John) Larrimer, and brothers-in-law, Bill Miller, Edward Summers, Cecil King, and Gerry Klosterman.
Funeral service will be 2 pm, Monday, March 13, 2017, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church with Pastor Jeremy Freeman officiating. Burial will follow in Crown Hill Cemetery with military honors conducted at graveside. Visitation will take place from 1 pm until service time at the church.
Memorial contributions are suggested to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Parkinson’s Foundation or Heifer International in care of McLaughlin Funeral Chapel.
Arrangements are under the direction of McLaughlin Funeral Chapel.
