Howard Wilson Smith passed peacefully away on January 11, 2015, surrounded by his loving wife and family. He was 91 years of age. Howard was born in Niagara Falls, ON, on July 5, 1923. He was the first of three children born to William Samuel (Bill) Smith and Charlotte Wilson, both of whom immigrated to Canada from England. His younger brother, Seymour Smith, was born in New York State, with his little sister Georgina who was born in Keystown, SK. His father, William, already had four sons when he married Charlotte: Gordon, Albert (Ab), Raymon, and William (Bill) Smith. Howard always maintained very close relationships with his older brothers. His father then had four more children and Howard’s family was complete: Eva (Bill) Kennedy, Robert (Jean) Smith, Helen (Jim) Punter, and Edward Smith. He always felt blessed in the large and loving Smith family and weekends were always spent in the company of one sibling or another. Bill and Charlotte Smith arrived in Saskatchewan in 1928.
Howard remembered vividly the train ride to Saskatchewan, getting off at the Disley station, and later, having his tonsils removed on the kitchen table at 5 years of age when living in Keystown. In 1929, the family relocated and homesteaded in MacDowall, SK. Bill claimed the land a mile and a half west of MacDowall in 1929, a year prior to the homesteading process, and so he built their house on the road allowance next to the land he had claimed and hoped to homestead, just in case the land was lost, they would still have a house to live in. Bill also took possession of a property in MacDowall where he set up a sawmill which employed many men from the area. Howard attended MacDowall School where he earned his grade ten. Growing up he worked at the sawmill and on the family farm once homesteaded. The train service ran through MacDowall and was the main method of travel during those years. Howard had many memories of its coming and going. Howard enlisted in World War II, along with all of his brothers, but for the eldest. He was injured in training in Ontario and served as a soldier during the war in the Canadian Postal Corp, in Ottawa, ON. In 1945, at the end of the war, he returned to MacDowall and married, Kathleen Elizabeth Hodgson, the beautiful girl who lived across the road.
Howard and Kathleen celebrated their 69th wedding anniversary on November 24, 2014. Howard and Kathleen lived in several locations near MacDowall, before moving and taking ownership of three quarters of the William/Charlotte Smith Homestead. They had five children, they raised cattle and grain farmed until they retired from farming in 1974. Both of Howard’s parents and Kathleen’s mother lived with them on the farm for several years. Howard then became employed with the Government of Canada’s Farm Labour Pool program where he coordinated farm labour for local farmers. He was well suited to this work which was a blend of office work and on-site farm supervision. He retired from the Labour Pool in 1988 at 65 years of age. Howard and Kathleen had relocated from the farm to the hamlet of MacDowall, where they lived until 2011, then moving to the Good Shepherd Villa, where Howard passed away.
Howard was a hard-working and honest man. He believed in the love and care of family and the importance of building community. He believed that community is something you built and that every person must play their part. He served on numerous community boards and coached softball. He was very proud of the work of the MacDowall Lions Club, of which he was a charter member. He was an avid sportsman and upon his retirement from farming, found the time to play golf and curl. He participated in the Sunbeam Valley picnics, the many MacDowall celebrations, and enjoyed his time with the MacDowall Seniors association. He lived a very healthy and disciplined life. In his mother’s shadow, despite the lifetime of pain from his war injury, he never complained. Howard always did his best, was a stickler for detail, and he cared for his home and property with great attention and detail. Howard and Kathleen maintained a beautifully landscaped and gardened home, wherever they lived, where the tea was always on and family was always welcome. In their retirement years, Howard and Kathleen remained committed to spending time with their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren all of whom they were so proud.
He will be greatly missed and often celebrated. He is survived by his loving wife of 69 years, Kathleen Elizabeth Smith (nee Hodgson), their children: Linda (Ron) Zsombor; MaryAnn (Jake) Klingler; Barbara (Allen) McKay; Keith Smith and Kathy (Gerald) Hodgson-Smith and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren: Gian Zsombor (Emerson and Aeraby); Kim (Kevin) Jeffries (Benjamin); Gina (Greig) Johnson (Owen and Lydia); Jody (Tanya) Hanton (Ashley, Jordyn, Taya, Aaliyah); Jared Zsombor; Cari (Frank) Prima (Mason and Katelyn); Bret (Danielle) McKay (Layna); Clinton (Alison) Smith; Kent (Lauren) Vermette (Haley); Kirsty (Brandon) Snowsell (Charlotte, Elliot and Nina); Kyle (Ly) Vermette (Kyri and Nyla); and Joshua Klingler. He is also survived by his brother Robert and his sisters, Eva and Helen, and numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, William Samuel Smith and Charlotte Wilson; his brothers, Gordon, Albert, Raymon, Bill, Seymour and Edward and his sister Georgina. Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 17, 2015 at St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church, 260 – 25th Street East, Prince Albert, SK with Reverend Dr. Norbert Haukenfrers officiating. Interment will be held at Prince Albert Memorial Gardens. In lieu of other tributes, memorial donations can be made to the Royal Canadian Legion, Prince Albert Branch #2 Poppy Fund, 133 – 8th Street East, Prince Albert, SK S6V 0V8. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.grays.ca. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Gray’s Funeral Chapel, (306-922-4729).
Officers and Members will confer Veterans Honours.

• Date : 2015-01-11