Walter Smith fell asleep in his favorite chair shortly before noon on Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2012, and awoke in the presence of his Lord Jesus.
Walter was born on Feb. 19, 1924, in Long Beach, Calif., to Walter and Genevieve (Lantz) Smith. His father was from Bishop, Calif., and his mother from New Ross, Nova Scotia, Canada. They met during World War I on the battlefields of France, where she was a field nurse and he was an infantryman who had been mustard gassed in the trenches.
When Walter was 2 years old, his family was forced to move from their long-established ranch near Bishop when the city of Los Angeles stole their water in the notorious Owens Valley Water Wars. They moved to Langell Valley, Ore., where Walter lived the rest of his life save for his years in the military.
His education included one-room schoolhouses in Langell Valley. He graduated from Bonanza High School, which he attended mostly on game days or track meet days since working at home took top priority. He held the county record in the mile until his younger brother Dick broke it.
Walter was a Navy veteran in World War II, serving on the USS Barnstable, an attack troop transport, in the Pacific. He went ashore at Hiroshima shortly after the bombing and surrender of Japan. Coming home to a ranch he had purchased while overseas, he started his own farming and ranching operation and took classes at Oregon Institute of Technology.
In 1947, he met Dorothy Graves at Mrs. Elliott's boardinghouse while visiting his sister Mary, who also boarded there. Walter and Dorothy were married on June 26, 1948. Together, they transformed sagebrush and alkali into a fine working ranch, where they raised hay, grain, cattle, timber, and five children.
Walter was active in the community, serving in various capacities for the water and soil conservation districts, Farm Bureau, and Cattlemen's Association. He was a devoted member of the Langell Valley Community Church from its inception during his childhood until his passing.
He was well known for his mechanical abilities and could repair, build or invent whatever equipment or tool was needed for the ranch. He always had the right tool for the job and a place for everything and everything in its place.
Walter loved hunting and fishing and was a voracious reader of newspapers and periodicals. He was still riding his four-wheeler at the age of 88 on his beloved Bryant Mountain, where he had ridden horses and motorcycles his whole life.
In their later years, he and Dorothy traveled to Alaska and across much of the United States. They also spent a few winters in Arizona in their travel trailer.
Walter was preceded to heaven by Dorothy, his wife of 64 years, on Feb. 29 this year, by his sister Mary Ann Parsons last year, and by his son Brett in 1999.
Survivors include his brother Richard (and Naomi) Smith of Langell Valley; children and spouses Cheri (Doug) Madsen and Craig (Debbie) Smith of Langell Valley, Lyle (Bonnie) Smith of Klamath Falls, and Becky Iremonger of Mosier; 12 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren (and three more on the way).
Walter was born on Feb. 19, 1924, in Long Beach, Calif., to Walter and Genevieve (Lantz) Smith. His father was from Bishop, Calif., and his mother from New Ross, Nova Scotia, Canada. They met during World War I on the battlefields of France, where she was a field nurse and he was an infantryman who had been mustard gassed in the trenches.
When Walter was 2 years old, his family was forced to move from their long-established ranch near Bishop when the city of Los Angeles stole their water in the notorious Owens Valley Water Wars. They moved to Langell Valley, Ore., where Walter lived the rest of his life save for his years in the military.
His education included one-room schoolhouses in Langell Valley. He graduated from Bonanza High School, which he attended mostly on game days or track meet days since working at home took top priority. He held the county record in the mile until his younger brother Dick broke it.
Walter was a Navy veteran in World War II, serving on the USS Barnstable, an attack troop transport, in the Pacific. He went ashore at Hiroshima shortly after the bombing and surrender of Japan. Coming home to a ranch he had purchased while overseas, he started his own farming and ranching operation and took classes at Oregon Institute of Technology.
In 1947, he met Dorothy Graves at Mrs. Elliott's boardinghouse while visiting his sister Mary, who also boarded there. Walter and Dorothy were married on June 26, 1948. Together, they transformed sagebrush and alkali into a fine working ranch, where they raised hay, grain, cattle, timber, and five children.
Walter was active in the community, serving in various capacities for the water and soil conservation districts, Farm Bureau, and Cattlemen's Association. He was a devoted member of the Langell Valley Community Church from its inception during his childhood until his passing.
He was well known for his mechanical abilities and could repair, build or invent whatever equipment or tool was needed for the ranch. He always had the right tool for the job and a place for everything and everything in its place.
Walter loved hunting and fishing and was a voracious reader of newspapers and periodicals. He was still riding his four-wheeler at the age of 88 on his beloved Bryant Mountain, where he had ridden horses and motorcycles his whole life.
In their later years, he and Dorothy traveled to Alaska and across much of the United States. They also spent a few winters in Arizona in their travel trailer.
Walter was preceded to heaven by Dorothy, his wife of 64 years, on Feb. 29 this year, by his sister Mary Ann Parsons last year, and by his son Brett in 1999.
Survivors include his brother Richard (and Naomi) Smith of Langell Valley; children and spouses Cheri (Doug) Madsen and Craig (Debbie) Smith of Langell Valley, Lyle (Bonnie) Smith of Klamath Falls, and Becky Iremonger of Mosier; 12 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren (and three more on the way).
Walter Smith fell asleep in his favorite chair shortly before noon on Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2012, and awoke in the presence of his Lord Jesus.
Walter was born on Feb. 19, 1924, in Long Beach, Calif., to Walter and Genevieve (Lantz) Smith. His father was from Bishop, Calif., and his mother from New Ross, Nova Scotia, Canada. They met during World War I on the battlefields of France, where she was a field nurse and he was an infantryman who had been mustard gassed in the trenches.
When Walter was 2 years old, his family was forced to move from their long-established ranch near Bishop when the city of Los Angeles stole their water in the notorious Owens Valley Water Wars. They moved to Langell Valley, Ore., where Walter lived the rest of his life save for his years in the military.
His education included one-room schoolhouses in Langell Valley. He graduated from Bonanza High School, which he attended mostly on game days or track meet days since working at home took top priority. He held the county record in the mile until his younger brother Dick broke it.
Walter was a Navy veteran in World War II, serving on the USS Barnstable, an attack troop transport, in the Pacific. He went ashore at Hiroshima shortly after the bombing and surrender of Japan. Coming home to a ranch he had purchased while overseas, he started his own farming and ranching operation and took classes at Oregon Institute of Technology.
In 1947, he met Dorothy Graves at Mrs. Elliott's boardinghouse while visiting his sister Mary, who also boarded there. Walter and Dorothy were married on June 26, 1948. Together, they transformed sagebrush and alkali into a fine working ranch, where they raised hay, grain, cattle, timber, and five children.
Walter was active in the community, serving in various capacities for the water and soil conservation districts, Farm Bureau, and Cattlemen's Association. He was a devoted member of the Langell Valley Community Church from its inception during his childhood until his passing.
He was well known for his mechanical abilities and could repair, build or invent whatever equipment or tool was needed for the ranch. He always had the right tool for the job and a place for everything and everything in its place.
Walter loved hunting and fishing and was a voracious reader of newspapers and periodicals. He was still riding his four-wheeler at the age of 88 on his beloved Bryant Mountain, where he had ridden horses and motorcycles his whole life.
In their later years, he and Dorothy traveled to Alaska and across much of the United States. They also spent a few winters in Arizona in their travel trailer.
Walter was preceded to heaven by Dorothy, his wife of 64 years, on Feb. 29 this year, by his sister Mary Ann Parsons last year, and by his son Brett in 1999.
Survivors include his brother Richard (and Naomi) Smith of Langell Valley; children and spouses Cheri (Doug) Madsen and Craig (Debbie) Smith of Langell Valley, Lyle (Bonnie) Smith of Klamath Falls, and Becky Iremonger of Mosier; 12 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren (and three more on the way).
Walter was born on Feb. 19, 1924, in Long Beach, Calif., to Walter and Genevieve (Lantz) Smith. His father was from Bishop, Calif., and his mother from New Ross, Nova Scotia, Canada. They met during World War I on the battlefields of France, where she was a field nurse and he was an infantryman who had been mustard gassed in the trenches.
When Walter was 2 years old, his family was forced to move from their long-established ranch near Bishop when the city of Los Angeles stole their water in the notorious Owens Valley Water Wars. They moved to Langell Valley, Ore., where Walter lived the rest of his life save for his years in the military.
His education included one-room schoolhouses in Langell Valley. He graduated from Bonanza High School, which he attended mostly on game days or track meet days since working at home took top priority. He held the county record in the mile until his younger brother Dick broke it.
Walter was a Navy veteran in World War II, serving on the USS Barnstable, an attack troop transport, in the Pacific. He went ashore at Hiroshima shortly after the bombing and surrender of Japan. Coming home to a ranch he had purchased while overseas, he started his own farming and ranching operation and took classes at Oregon Institute of Technology.
In 1947, he met Dorothy Graves at Mrs. Elliott's boardinghouse while visiting his sister Mary, who also boarded there. Walter and Dorothy were married on June 26, 1948. Together, they transformed sagebrush and alkali into a fine working ranch, where they raised hay, grain, cattle, timber, and five children.
Walter was active in the community, serving in various capacities for the water and soil conservation districts, Farm Bureau, and Cattlemen's Association. He was a devoted member of the Langell Valley Community Church from its inception during his childhood until his passing.
He was well known for his mechanical abilities and could repair, build or invent whatever equipment or tool was needed for the ranch. He always had the right tool for the job and a place for everything and everything in its place.
Walter loved hunting and fishing and was a voracious reader of newspapers and periodicals. He was still riding his four-wheeler at the age of 88 on his beloved Bryant Mountain, where he had ridden horses and motorcycles his whole life.
In their later years, he and Dorothy traveled to Alaska and across much of the United States. They also spent a few winters in Arizona in their travel trailer.
Walter was preceded to heaven by Dorothy, his wife of 64 years, on Feb. 29 this year, by his sister Mary Ann Parsons last year, and by his son Brett in 1999.
Survivors include his brother Richard (and Naomi) Smith of Langell Valley; children and spouses Cheri (Doug) Madsen and Craig (Debbie) Smith of Langell Valley, Lyle (Bonnie) Smith of Klamath Falls, and Becky Iremonger of Mosier; 12 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren (and three more on the way).
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
