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08/30/2010 - Dean DeCleo Smith
Funeral Services for Dean DeCleo Smith will be on Monday, August 30, 2010 at 10:00 AM at St. Katherine’s Episcopal Church in Martin with Father Craig West officiating.
Inurnment at Martin Community Cemetery. A memorial has been established for St. Katherine’s Episcopal Church of Martin, SD. Donations may be sent to Security First Bank, P.O. Box 669, Martin, SD 57551.
Bennett County Funeral Services, Martin, SD is in charge of arrangements.
Dean DeCleo Smith was born August 19, 1929 in Martin, SD to DeCleo ‘Smithy” Courtney Smith and Viola Elizabeth (Allen) Smith on the old Gorhum place just north of Martin. He joined three other children, Joseph Orrin, Rose Marie and Freda Sylvia; son Wayne Allen was born in 1932 at Pine Ridge, SD. During the Depression in the 1930’s the family moved to Norco, CA to look for work. The youngest child, Katheryn June ‘Lois’ was born there in 1934, which completed their family. As a young boy Dean would pick fruits and vegetables alongside his family and did other odd jobs to help out. When he was fourteen he worked at a full service gas station, picking up supplies and waiting on customers. He learned a lot about garage operations which probably launched a mechanic career that was to be his life work. When Dean turned sixteen the family moved to Escondido, CA and he got a job in a rock quarry helping drill holes for dynamite. In 1945, the family returned to South Dakota with three of their children who were still at home, Dean, Wayne, and Lois, and ranched for a time on No Flesh Creek west of Allen. Dean worked in Palmer’s Garage in Martin with his Uncle Martin Allen and became a very skilled mechanic.
In 1949 he met his wife to be, Opal Kathryn Coats. In 1950 they decided they wanted to get married but because Opal was only sixteen they had to receive permission from her parents, Clyde and Jennie (Cummings) Coats. With their parent’s blessing, Dean and Opal drove to the Black Hills and on August 1, 1950 they were married in Sturgis, SD. On August 1, 2010 the couple celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. They were blessed with five children; Troy Dean, Roseanna Lynne, Connie Louise, Timothy Wayne, and Glenn David, and raised their family in Martin except for two years spent in San Francisco, CA. They bought a house on 7th Avenue in Martin, and Dean built a garage beside it, to repair anything and everything that needed fixing. A few years later, Dean bought some land ¾ mile south of Martin and remodeled an old schoolhouse he had moved from Merriman, NE. He did a little farming, which he loved because he liked being outdoors. Dean worked for LaCreek Electric about seven years as a mechanic but had to retire due to poor health. The Smiths sold their home and moved to Rapid City to be closer to medical services. They lived there for thirteen years until returning to Martin to live with their daughter Roseanna and enjoy being around their children and grandchildren, until Dean passed away on Thursday, August 26, 2010.
Immediate Survivors:
Wife- Opal
Daughters- Roseanna Renaud and Connie Smith, Martin, SD.
Back to FuneralsSons- Timothy (Dixie), Milliken, CO; Glenn (Kathy), Martin, SD. Grandchildren- 13 Great Grandchildren- 5 He was preceded in death by his son Troy, his parents, and his brother Wayne. Printer Friendly Version Send Story to a friend. |
