Allen E Smith

Allen E. Smith, age 95, Clark, died late Monday night, October 17, 2016 in the Prairie Lakes Hospital at Watertown with family at his side after suffering an apparent stroke Monday afternoon.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, October 20, 2016 from 5-7PM at the Furness Funeral Home at Clark and will continue at the Church on Friday morning after 9AM.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, October 21, 2016 at 10AM in the United Methodist Church at Clark with Pastor Mark Tracy officiating.  Dorothy Fuller will be the organist with special music by Duane & Char Peterson. The members of Cagley-Smith American Legion Post #60 should consider themselves honorary casketbearers. The active casketbearers will be Michelle Benny, Shawna Lorch, and Nathan & Kirk Smith. Burial with full military rites will be held following in the Rose Hill Cemetery at Clark.

Allen was born on May 11, 1921 in Darlington Township, the son of Harold and Ellen (Thoreson) Smith. He attended school in Darlington Township and finished his schooling through the 8th grade in Merton Township.

On November 6, 1942 he was inducted in the United States Army and served his country honorably until October 19 of 1945. He was part of Company A 31st Tank Battalion, serving as a tank driver. He received a Purple Heart from wounds received on October 11, 1944.

On September 15, 1946, he was united in marriage to Roberta Heiden. In his younger years, Allen helped area farmers including Ralph Lamb. He milked, fed hogs, and farmed with horses. The couple lived and farmed 8 miles south of Clark. They moved into Clark in 1997 where they have lived since. He and Roberta enjoyed many bus trips over the years, wintered in Donna, TX for over 24 years, sitting outside listening to the ball games and watching his grandchildren in their activities. Allen and Roberta enjoyed countless hours of dancing over the years from polka to waltz, square dancing, and the fox trot! Favorite pastimes of his were working in the yard, and hunting, in fact, even hunted pheasants this past weekend with family members. He also enjoyed riding his bicycle every night, not a stationary bike, but around Clark, just up until a year ago.

Allen was a member of the United Methodist Church at Clark where he served as an usher in church and funerals for many years

Preceding him in death were his parents, his wife Roberta, and brothers Marvin (Nona), Wilmer (Frances) and Robert and brothers-in-law, Bernell "Mike" Larson and Glenn Hawkyard.

Grateful for having shared in his life are his sons, Glenn (Lenora) Smith of Rochester, MN and Gail (Melanie) Smith of Vienna, SD; grandchildren Michelle (Chris) Benny, Shawna (Jeff) Lorch, Nathan (Tara) Smith and Kirk (Jenn) Smith; great-grandchildren, Julia, Amelia, Beth, Judson, Bennett and Cecilia. Also surviving are siblings, Muriel Larson and Mavis Hawkyard both of Clark.