RICHARD L. SMITH Obituary

Richard L. Smith, 64, died at his home of cancer on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2004. He was under the care of Bear Paw Hospice.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Fifth Avenue Christian Church with the Rev. Rowlie Hutton and John Musgrove officiating. A fellowship luncheon will be held at the church immediately following the service.

Richard was born July 20, 1939, to Marvin and Gladys (Patrick) Smith. He was raised in Havre and attended schools in Box Elder until the fifth grade and then was a student at Havre Public Schools, graduating from Havre High School. He then attended Northern Montana College.

During the summer while in high school and college, Richard worked for Bill Baltrusch and also for his uncle on his farm in Chester during harvest. In 1964 Richard enlisted in the Air National Guard and was a nuclear weapons specialist. He was honorably discharged in 1967. Also in 1964, Richard purchased his parents' place at the end of Washington Avenue. In 1964-65 he worked for Havre Public Schools as a groundsman. In 1968 he went to work for Community Action as a grant writer. Richard then built missiles out of Chester in 1972.

In the early 1970s, Richard was involved in many construction projects in the area and he purchased his first backhoe in 1974. In 1978 Richard built the mobile home park Lakeside Plaza in conjuction with Lakeside Construc-tion.

Richard married Shirlee (Bennett) Murphy on Dec. 23, 1965, in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. They were married for 38 years and raised three children.

Lions International was an integral part of Richard's life. He received the two highest awards that Lions International gives, the last award being the Melvin Jones Fellow Award. He also enjoyed hunting, restoring antique cars, canoeing on the Missouri and Marias rivers, and metal fabrication.

He was preceded in death by his father, Marvin, in 1963; a sister, Karen, and brother-in-law Duane Taylor in 1993; and one grandson, Carl Dakota Smith, in 1996.

Richard is survived by his wife, Shirlee Smith, of Havre; mother, Gladys Smith of Havre; daughter, Kathy (Scott) Gilden of Helena; sons, Trevor (Julie) Smith of Havre and Tyler Smith of Havre; sister, Maureen (Robert) Dolan of Havre; and three grandsons.

Memorials in Richard's honor may be made to the Hill County Weed District, 1405 W. Second St., Havre MT 59501, or to a memorial of one's choice. Services and arrangements are under the direction of Holland & Bonine Funeral Home.