Obit: Smith, Donald D. (1931 - 2009)
Poster: R. Lipprandt
Email: bob@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Babler, Becker, Borman, Hedrington, Irvine, Kuss, Langberg, Ness, Purdy, Sacia, Schaan, Smith, Tobias, Wolfgram,

----Source: The Star News (Medford, Taylor Co., WI), Thursday, April 16, 2009, Online Edition

Smith, Donald “Don” D. (September 20, 1931 - April 2, 2009)

Donald "Don" D. Smith, 77, Medford, died Thursday, April 2 at his home.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, April 18 at 11 a.m. at Hemer Funeral Home in Medford, with Rev. James Babler officiating. Cremainal inurnment will take place at Medford Evergreen Cemetery II, with full military honors performed by the Medford Area Military Honors Team. Honorary pallbearers will be Chopper's Pool Team.

Visitation will be held at the funeral home on Saturday from 10 a.m. until the time of the service.

Donald Smith was born September 20, 1931 in La Crosse to the late Leslie W. and Florence H. (Irvine) Smith.

He graduated from Logan High School in La Crosse and received his teaching degree from Minot State College in North Dakota under the GI Bill.

On September 3, 1954 at Minot, he married Le M. Sacia, who preceded him in death on October 22, 2000.

He threw the first ever no hitter in WIAA history during his senior year in baseball. He joined the United States Army and served during the Korean War. He was a teacher and coach in Balfour, N.D. from 1960 to 1964. They moved to Hollandale where he taught and coached for two years, then in 1967, they moved to Arcadia where he taught and coached until 1979 when they moved to Medford. They owned and operated the R-Bar for three years, operated the Riverhouse Inn for five years, then The Place in Medford until his retirement in 1994. During retirement he was a substitute teacher at local schools. He was a member of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Stetsonville. He enjoyed the outdoors and camping.

Survivors include three sons, Bob (Karen) of Galesville, Brad (Dawn) of Rib Lake and Lonnie (Sue) of Medford; two sisters, Beverly (Wendell) Schaan of Minot and Mary (Toby) Tobias of Hastings, Minn.; 12 grandchildren, Brett Smith, Carisa (Jeremy) Wolfgram, Casey Smith, Cadie Smith, Chad (Jackie) Langberg, Darek Becker, Bryan Becker, Jake Borman, Jeff Borman, Katie Kuss, Shawna (fiancé Max Hedrington) Kuss and Amy Purdy; and three great-grandchildren.

In addition to his parents and wife, he was preceded in death by a sister, Dorothy Ness. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to his family to be designated at a later date.

Online condolences may be made at www.hemerfuneralservice.com.