Wallace Smith

Rev. Wallace Lawrence Smith, age 87, was born October 26, 1927, in Milwaukee, Wisc., to Harold Lawrence Smith and Maude Leona Chatfield (Smith). He died Friday, July 31, 2015, at the Libby Care Center.

After graduating from high school in 1945, Wally entered the Army and served in Germany from 1946 to 1950. After an honorable discharge he went to Carroll College in Waukesha, Wisc., and received a B.S. in biology; and was also credentialed in drafting, working in this profession until he was called into ministry. He then attended Pittsburgh Xenia Seminary, graduating with a Masters of Divinity and was ordained a Presbyterian Minister in 1959. He married his college sweetheart Mary Keturah McMackin June, 7, 1958, and they had a son, David, in April 1959. Together they served rural churches in Merrill, Muscoda, and Highland Wisc.

In 1968, they adopted a daughter, Sarah. Wally taught high school drafting classes in Highland, Wisc., in the 1970s in addition to his ministerial role. Over the years the family continued to travel and serve rural churches of various denominations in Bancroft, Neb., DelNorte, Colo., Calvin, N.D., Reserve, N.M., Troy, Ala., and Hot Springs and Libby.

Wally was always active in various civic organizations in the communities in which he lived over the years and had been a member of the Lions Club, Knights of Pythias, Masons, and volunteer ambulance, as well as a Boy Scout and youth group leader. He has served as a City Council member of Hot Springs and substitute teacher in every community he lived, as well as serving on a variety of different boards. He enjoyed singing in church and community choirs, pinochle, fishing, bowling, golfing, crossword puzzles and woodworking. He was quite the kidder and fun to be around.

He was preceded in death by an infant sister; his parents; wife, Mary Smith of Libby, brothers, Robert (Shirley) Smith of New Jersey and Herbert James Smith of Minnesota and sister, Arlene (Joe) Morgese of New Berlin, Wisc.

He is survived by his son, David Smith of Aurora, Colo.; daughter Sarah (Steve) Dinning Sorensen of Libby, grandchildren Riley (Seth) Black and Crawford (Tawnya) Dinning of Libby, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Services will be at noon on Wednesday, August 5, 2015, at Christ Lutheran Church in Libby. Arrangements are by Schnackenberg & Nelson Funeral Home in Libby.  Online memories and condolences may be made at www.schnackenbergfh.com.