WILLIAM SMITH obituary

William N. "Smitty" Smith, 83, died Wednesday, May 7, 2003, at a Great Falls hospital from cancer.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Mark's Episcopal Church with the Rev. David Carter officiating. Following the memorial service is a full mili-

tary honor and Masonic funeral at Highland Cemetery. A luncheon will be held at the VFW Club. Shriners are asked to wear fez at the service

Smitty was born April 21, 1920, to Les and Mae Smith in Rumsey, Ky. He came to Montana at the age of 16 after joining the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1937. He was assigned to company 575 in Winnett and remained in the corps until 1941.

Smitty then enlisted in the Navy, serving in the Army Corps of Engineers.

In July 1942 Smitty married Lewistown native Bettijean Bidmead. He was discharged from the Navy in 1945 and began working for the Soil Conservation Corps in Roundup as a land surveyor. The family moved to Havre in 1962. He retired from the corps after 30 years of service in 1974. Smitty continued to work as a surveyor for Heberly Engineering until retiring at the age of 80 in 2000.

He was an active member of St. Mark's Episcopal Church and lifetime member of VFW Post 497 in Havre. He was a member of Havre Lodge No. 55 A.F. and A.M., Algeria Shrine Center, York Rite, Demolay Commander No. 15, Chinook Council No. 7, Royal Arch Havre Chapter 19, and Bannack Lodge 3-7-77.

Smitty loved the outdoors and took pride in knowing the Montana landscape, which he was able to explore during his many years of land surveying. He also enjoyed woodworking, gardening, watching television sports, and driving around town in his pride and joy, a 1996 Cadillac. He most loved spending time with his grandchildren and his two new great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Bettijean; parents; and brothers, Olice and Marvin.

Survivors include his daughters, Sharon (Bob) Gummer of Havre and Susan (Bob) Seitz of Eden Prairie, Minn.; grandchildren, Morris (Dawn) Gummer, Rebecca (Robert) Petersen, Bradley Gummer, Erin Seitz and Shayna Seitz; and two great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be sent to Shriners Children's Hospital, 911 W. Fifth Ave., Box 2472, Spokane, WA 99210-2472.