Dale Edwin Smith

Born in Nodaway, Iowa Dec. 1928, to farmers Mearl and Bernice Smith. He was the second son of eight children. He was constantly in trouble but still graduated from Earnest High School, Lenox, IA.

Dale met and married Deloras Irene Bozwell of Corning, Iowa in August 1950.

Dale worked at the grocery store before and after school and later farmed for others until entering the Army in Feb 1951 and went to Fort Carson, Colorado for training. He was assigned to Fort Richardson, Anchorage, Alaska. Dale was joined in December 1951 by his wife Deloras and 3 1/2 month old son Edwin.

They left Alaska in November 1952 and proceeded to Wisconsin to be discharged.

Dale went back to Iowa and bought his first home in Brooks which was the old Post Office next to the Bank. At this time he started work for the Omar Bread Company as a delivery driver.

Three more sons were born: Stephen in ‘53, Michael in ‘54, and Bruce in ’56.

In 1956 he decided to move to Colorado and bought a house before getting a job. Dale soon started working for Safeway Grocery Stores and his fifth son Kenneth was born in ’58. Finally in 1960 a daughter was born, Patricia Ann and the spoiling began.

In 1978 Dale left Colorado for Deloras’ health and settled in Phoenix, Arizona. He tried Real Estate Sales of Mobile Homes until he went to work for Goldwater Department Stores (now Macy’s) for 10 years, as a maintenance technician. After a short stint as a printer he then started with the Cartwright School District and stayed there for another 10 years.

Dale was a very diversified stubborn man, and as a handyman working on a roof in the hot Arizona summer he refused to climb down and rest until the job was done. He loved fishing and camping. In his spare time he moved furniture, painted, made wood crafts, and did sewing and quilting.

Dale past away quietly on Oct. 15th after finally succumbing to injuries from a fall in July breaking his arm and neck.

He was preceded in death by his parents Mearle and Bernice, his elder brother Bob and wife Mary, younger brothers Cleo and Donald, sister in law Sandy Smith and brother in law Wendell White. Dale was also preceded in death by his great granddaughter, Riley Ann Smith.

He is survived by his wife of 65 years Deloras in Goodyear, Arizona; his sons: Edwin and wife Linda of Goodyear, Arizona; Stephen and wife Lois of Farmington, New Mexico; Michael and wife Linda of Thornton, Colorado; Bruce of Carthage, New York; Kenneth and wife Patricia of Boise, Idaho; and daughter Patricia and husband Rick of Castle Rock, Colorado. He is also survived by his brother Gene Smith and wife Betty; brother Marvin Smith; his sister Dorothy Bozwell and husband Lester; sister Beverly White; and sister in law Saundra Smith. Dale has 15 grand children and 17 great grand children.

Dale was always a pleasure to be around and will be missed by family and all who knew or met him.

Arrangements under the direction of Advantage Funeral and Cremation Services Maryvale Chapel, Phoenix, AZ.