Darell W Smith

Funeral Services for Darell W. Smith will be conducted from the Westmark Evangelical Free Church of rural Loomis, Nebraska on Saturday, August 29, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. with Pastors Rick Smith, Craig Roberts and Tom Thompson, officiating. Interment will be in the Highland Cemetery at Bertrand, Nebraska with Military Honors provided by the Bertrand Veterans Organization in conjunction with the United States Army National Guard Honors Team.

Darell Willis Smith, 83 years of age, of rural Bertrand, passed away on Wednesday, August 26, 2009 at his home northeast of Bertrand. Darell was born October 20, 1925 on the family farm southeast of Loomis in Phelps County, Nebraska, the eldest of four children born to Henry Willis and Rubie Evelyn (Chalberg) Smith. He received his primary education from the Snowball District #66 and the Moses Hill District #14 Schools. He attended secondary school at Holdrege High School and then graduated from Bertrand High School with the class of 1944.

Darell was inducted into the United States Army and served his country until his honorable discharge on July 18, 1946. On March 21, 1946 he was united in marriage to Merna Sylvia Johnson at Holdrege, and to this union three children were born: Renee, Duane and Linda. The family made their home on the farm northeast of Bertrand, where Darell engaged in farming for fifty-two years before his retirement in 1997. He loved the land, and especially enjoyed raising corn and feeding cattle. During their retirement years, Darell and Merna loved traveling throughout the United States with their friends.

He was an active member of the Westmark Evangelical Free Church and a member of the American Legion Post #67 in Bertrand. Darell supported his community through a number of organizations, including: the Tassel, YMCA of the Prairie and the Nebraska Prairie Museum. Most of all his family and church were the central focus of his life.

He leaves to mourn his passing his wife, Merna of rural Bertrand; two daughters: Renee Davis and her husband, Scott of rural Bertrand and Linda Steinbrink and her husband, Robert of rural Loomis; one son, Duane Smith and his wife, Debbie of Beatrice, Nebraska; eight grandchildren: Tony Davis and his wife, Suzanne, and Reggie Davis and his wife, Shannon all of Kearney, Andrew Davis of rural Bertrand, David Smith and his special friend, Amber Abascal of San Antonio, Texas, Ashley Belt and her husband, Neal of Omaha, and Marcus, Micah and Damon Steinbrink all of rural Loomis; two great-grandsons: William and Benjamin Davis; three sisters: Alyce Lenore Fox of Kearney, Verla Matuschka and her husband, Ernest of Kearney and Betty Meyer and her husband, Darrel of Bertrand; brother-in-law, Kermit Johnson and his wife, Elaine; sisters-in-law: LaVon "Bonnie" Samuelson and her husband, E.L., Betty Jacobson and her husband, Warren all of Holdrege and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers-in-law: Eugene Johnson, Spencer Fox, Spencer Griffith and Delwin Johnson and his wife, Grace; and sisters-in-law: Norma Ryden and her husband, Wesley and Sadie Kimberly.

Visitation will be held at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege on Friday, August 28, 2009 from 1:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. with the family greeting from 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

A memorial has been established in his memory and kindly suggested to the Westmark Evangelical Free Church.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements.