William Joseph Smith

William Joseph Smith was called home on Saturday, September 5, 2009 at Pathways Hospice Center at McKee Medical Center. A Colorado native, he was born in a log cabin in mid-August, 1932 in the rural area outside of Raymer with a midwife in attendance. In 1932, the family moved to Alamosa, dry farming the land. He completed the 8th grade at Waverley School in Alamosa. At the age of 14, he and an older brother, Frosty, hitchhiked to Denver for a life that didn't include farming. One of his first jobs was unloading phone books from cargo cars on a ""chuffer"" â?¦ a steam train.In 1956, he married Helen Kessler and they settled on the Western Slope of Colorado, living in Grand Junction and Eckert, where they owned the Eckert Store. Later moves saw them in Butte Montana, Colorado Springs and, finally, Loveland.Bill was employed as a commercial meat salesman most of his life, working for K& B Meats, Pepper Packing and Sigman Meat Company with routes in Colorado and Montana. He enjoyed the outdoors and took advantage of hiking, traveling the back roads of Western Colorado and, in recent years, maintaining a flower and vegetable garden. He will be dearly missed for his devotion to family and faith, his willingness to help out and his wonderful sense of humor.He was a 50-year member of the Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod) and served in many capacities in congregations in Grand Junction; Butte and Billings, MT, Colorado Springs, Westminster and Fort Collins.Bill, beloved father and grandfather, is survived by children Harry Lee Galloway of Enon, Ohio; Kaye Galloway of Aurora, Wm. Dennis Smith of Billings, MT; Vickie Smith Kuhlmann of Loveland; siblings Forest Smith of Englewood; Paul Smith of Clarksville, IN; Beulah Peiser of San Angelo, TX; and Clyde Smith of Arlington, TX. He was preceded in death by his wife, Helen, his parents, one brother and one sister. He leaves behind grandchildren, great-grandchildren and his beloved Shih Tzu, Buttons.Viewing will be at Resthaven Funeral Home from 4-8 on Tuesday, September 8th. The funeral service to honor and celebrate his life will be held at Peace with Christ Lutheran Church in Fort Collins on Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. Interment at Resthaven Memory Gardens immediately following the service. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, Pathways Hospice of Larimer County, or a charity of one's choice c/o Resthaven Funeral Home at 8426 S. Highway 287, Fort Collins, CO 80525.