John Wesley Smith, 79, died August 28, 2014, in his home after a life well lived, despite a long fight with Parkinson's disease. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Anita Kay (Stephenson) Smith. John was born June 1, 1935, to Everett and Cassie (Kerr) Smith and grew up the youngest of nine children on a 50-acre diversified farm in Bloomington. He graduated from University High School in 1953 where he participated in almost every sport available including football, basketball, track, and tennis. He had a special love for basketball and his competitive side was evident throughout his life. He was a big proponent of hitting free-throws and had been known to offer his grandkids cash for hitting 25-50 free-throws in a row, depending on age. John graduated from Purdue University in 1957 with a bachelor of science in animal science. He worked his way through college by serving as dishwasher and waiter at Zeta sorority. He was a lifelong, Purdue sports fan, who furiously rooted for the Boilers, often listening to games on the radio while milking his dairy cows. During the college summer of 1955, he assisted in the Indiana State Fair Exhibit Hall which even included doing some fashion modeling. It was then that he met his future wife who had a summer job as a waitress in the dining hall at the State Fair. He completed his Army basic training before getting married to Kay on August 10, 1958 at Mt. Tabor Christian Church. At the end of the day, they loaded up everything they could get into the car and headed to Atlanta, where he completed his two years in the Army. John built a 200-head dairy and grain farm for 47 years, enduring major fires, injury, and sickness. His toughness through all adversity has always been an inspiration. He set his hours to his night-owl preference often finishing his milking late in the night. His was a 365-day-a-year job, but he would often walk in from the barn singing a show tune, a hymn, or a favorite from the radio. Every Christmas he hung a star 65 feet up at the top of his farm's silo to shine over those traveling down Highway 60. His regular parting words of wisdom to his family members were, "Act like you've got some sense." John was a 54-year member of Carter's Creek Christian Church, where he served as an Elder. He had been a member of the Young Farmers, a 4-H Leader, and a Sunday School teacher. John and Kay raised six children who gave them 19 grandchildren: Jeff (Kim) Smith of Orleans, Josh, Jessica Alyea, Jonathan; John D. (Pam) Smith of Orleans, Jacob, Olivia; Joe (Beth) Smith of Salem, Simon, Madison, Sidney, Weston; Anita (Brian) Oldham of Floyds Knobs, Kayla, Jarret, Grant; J. Chris (Kimberly) Smith of Monrovia, Zachary, Isaac, Kristal, Luke, Josh; Jeremy (Liz) Smith of Orleans, Jaxton, Hadleigh. He is also survived by four siblings: Ross Smith of Bloomington, Richard (Ann) Smith of Washington, James (Joanne) Smith of New Hampshire, and Joan (Don) Kennedy of Indianapolis. He is preceded in death by his parents Everett and Cassie Smith and siblings: Mary Frances Smith, Marie Conard, Everett Smith, and Ruth Libkie. Funeral service will be at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, August 31, in the Memorial Chapel of Chastain Funeral Home & Cremation Center with Brother Darrin Chastain officiating. Burial will be in Freedom Cemetery. Friends may call from 2:00 - 7:00 p.m. Saturday, and from 1:00 p.m. until the service on Sunday at the funeral home.