H. Smiley

Harrell Wallace Smiley, age 97, formerly of Houstonia, died at Jefferson Regional Medical Center, Crystal City, MO on March 24, 2013. He was born in LaMonte, MO, on September 30, 1915, a son to Harrell Hunter and Maude (Denton) Smiley.

On April 9, 1939 he was united in marriage to Myrtle B. Butts in Houstonia on an Easter Sunday. He as a charter member of the Houstania Community Church and was a leader in his community, severing several terms as Mayor and Councilman and as President of the Houstania Board of Education.

He graduated from LaMonte High School and from Hohenschuh-Carpenter College of Embalming in St. Louis and worked with his aunt and uncle in the Westbrook Funeral Home and Westbrook Hardware Store. He then had his own Smiley Plumbing and Heating Business. He retired after working several years as Transportation and Maintenance Director for the Northwest Public School District.

He is survived by one son, John (Donna) Smiley, Gilbert, AZ, three daughters, Marilyn (Barry) Ellis, De Soto, Susanne (James) Kessler, Winona Lake, IN, and Beverly (Richard) Varner, Dennison, KS; thirteen grandchildren; and twenty one great grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by his wife Myrtle Smiley; one sister: Irene Kappelman; and one brother Kenneth Smiley.

As an expression of sympathy donations may be made to Jefferson Regional Hospital Hospice, P.O. 350, Crystal City, MO 63019 or the Show-Me Christian Youth Home, P.O. Box 6, LaMonte, MO 65337.