A memorial service will be held Tuesday November 9, 2021, at 2 p.m., with visitation at 1 p.m. at David-Donehower Funeral Home, 609 US Hwy 10 East, Detroit Lakes MN. Refreshments immediately following the service.
Bruce's granddaughters, Allison, Ashton, and Mattyson will be his honorary pallbearers.
Bruce was born April 22, 1952, to Russell and Gertrude (Johnson) Smith in Fergus Falls MN. During his school years in FF, Bruce was a member of Golden Gloves, and played baseball until basketball became his passion, which he excelled at while attending FF Jr College for two years and Valley City (ND) State University. Bruce graduated from Moorhead State University with a degree in phy ed.
After moving to Fargo ND, he worked at Dakota Food Equipment where he garnered his love for cooking by calling on chefs and restaurant owners, learning many tricks of the trade. Bruce worked for Team Industries for 20 years in Audubon MN. When he retired due to his cancer diagnosis, he found new passions: fishing, golfing, bird watching (he could name them all), and creating delectable meals for family and friends.
Bruce graduated from Fergus Falls High School in 1970, where he met his wife, Sheri Quaal. These high school sweethearts married in 1974 in FF at Bethlehem Lutheran Church. Young love took its time to mature. They divorced, Bruce married Robin (Suhr) Somdahl and became a father to daughter, Hope. Sheri married Ken Dahlgren. After they each divorced, Bruce and Sheri rekindled their love story 25 years later and remarried in 2007 in Las Vegas. A love story meant to be!
Bruce was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Russell Smith, Jr.
He is survived by his wife, Sheri (Quaal) Smith; his daughter, Hope (Chris) Barta; granddaughters: Mattyson Barta (boyfriend Brandan Lee), Ashton Barta (fiancé Darek Turner), and Allison Barta (boyfriend Race Heitcamp); sister, Diane (Denny) Ewert; his nephew, Chris (Stephanie) Ewert; his niece, Missy (Lee) Keller, and nephew, Liam Conners-Smith, as well as numerous sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, and their families, and many aunts and uncles and their families.
Donation in lieu of flowers to LoveYourBuns.org and/or to Animal Recue MashmallowFoundation.org.
David-Donehower Funeral Home is serving the family.
A memorial service will be held Tuesday November 9, 2021, at 2 p.m., with visitation at 1 p.m. at David-Donehower Funeral Home, 609 US Hwy 10 East, Detroit Lakes MN. Refreshments immediately following the service.
Bruce's granddaughters, Allison, Ashton, and Mattyson will be his honorary pallbearers.
Bruce was born April 22, 1952, to Russell and Gertrude (Johnson) Smith in Fergus Falls MN. During his school years in FF, Bruce was a member of Golden Gloves, and played baseball until basketball became his passion, which he excelled at while attending FF Jr College for two years and Valley City (ND) State University. Bruce graduated from Moorhead State University with a degree in phy ed.
After moving to Fargo ND, he worked at Dakota Food Equipment where he garnered his love for cooking by calling on chefs and restaurant owners, learning many tricks of the trade. Bruce worked for Team Industries for 20 years in Audubon MN. When he retired due to his cancer diagnosis, he found new passions: fishing, golfing, bird watching (he could name them all), and creating delectable meals for family and friends.
Bruce graduated from Fergus Falls High School in 1970, where he met his wife, Sheri Quaal. These high school sweethearts married in 1974 in FF at Bethlehem Lutheran Church. Young love took its time to mature. They divorced, Bruce married Robin (Suhr) Somdahl and became a father to daughter, Hope. Sheri married Ken Dahlgren. After they each divorced, Bruce and Sheri rekindled their love story 25 years later and remarried in 2007 in Las Vegas. A love story meant to be!
Bruce was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Russell Smith, Jr.
He is survived by his wife, Sheri (Quaal) Smith; his daughter, Hope (Chris) Barta; granddaughters: Mattyson Barta (boyfriend Brandan Lee), Ashton Barta (fiancé Darek Turner), and Allison Barta (boyfriend Race Heitcamp); sister, Diane (Denny) Ewert; his nephew, Chris (Stephanie) Ewert; his niece, Missy (Lee) Keller, and nephew, Liam Conners-Smith, as well as numerous sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, and their families, and many aunts and uncles and their families.
Donation in lieu of flowers to LoveYourBuns.org and/or to Animal Recue MashmallowFoundation.org.
David-Donehower Funeral Home is serving the family.
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