DONALD SMITH obituary

SHELBY - Donald “Smitty” Howard Smith, 97, a World War II veteran and school custodian from Malta and formerly of Shelby, died Wednesday, April 5, 2006, at a Great Falls hospital due to natural causes.

A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Whitted Funeral Chapel in Shelby with burial to follow in Valley View Cemetery. Visitation is Tuesday from 1 to 8 p.m.

He was born in Havre Nov. 16, 1908, where he grew up on the family farm north of town. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II.

He married Martha McIntosh on May 23, 1953, at Sunburst. She later passed away. In September of 1970, he married Gina Lewis, and they later divorced.

Don had been a custodian at the Shelby High School for many years before retiring in 1973.

His interests and hobbies were fishing, hunting, gardening, playing cards, and telling stories and jokes. He had been a longtime umpire for Little League baseball.

Don was preceded in death by his first wife; Martha; parents; and 18 brothers and sisters.

Survivors include his daughters, Shirley (Bob) McLaughlin of Topeka, Kan., and Darlene (Bob) Flesche of Malta; and sister, Josie O'Loughlin of Arizona; grandchildren, Chris (Brittany) McLaughlin of Missoula, Bill (Judy) Rothie of Hamilton and Becky (Dave) Quick of Helena; six great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews; and his second wife's family, Richard (Helen) Ferderer and their children, Jerry, Jeff and Darlene.