Donald SMITH

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SMITH: The family of Donald Raymond Smith (April 1, 1945 – May 2, 2020) is saddened by his death at Brandon R.H.C. He leaves his wife, Lorna (Tully) Smith of almost 48 years, and sons, Bradley and Jared (Sandra), and grandchildren: Autumn and Nia. He had a difficult 3 year struggle with MSA/Parkinson’s Disease. He was buried at a private graveside service at Rosewood Memorial Gardens on May 25, 2020. Don is survived by sister: Pearl Keller; family: Frank; Glenda (Brian) Liens; Fern Keller (Andy); John; Jeffery (Deanna). Sister: Joyce (James) Lynch; family: Leslie (Deanne); Brant (Charles Marcoux); Angela (Trevor) Ogden. Brother: Mervin (Rita) Smith; family: Brenda (Brian) Schwa; brother Kenneth (Terry) Smith; family: Cameron (Shannon); Tyler (Amy). Don is also survived by 17 great nieces and great nephews, two great great nieces in the Smith family; several cousins on the Smith and Wright sides of the family, family friend Vironika Smith. Don is also survived by Lorna’s brother Don (Tully) and Louise, and Don’s family: Raegen (Tully) Mark; Aaron and Anne (Tully) and son Ronan. Don is predeceased by his father: James Elvin Smith in 1949 in Regina; mother Marie Winnifred Smith, nee Burluraux Wright in 1985 in Weyburn, SK. Don was also predeceased by grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins on the Burluraux, Wright and Smiths sides of the family. Predeceased by brother-in-law (Floyd Keller) in January 2013 – husband of Pearl; and (Brian Keller) in March 1957 – son of Pearl and Floyd. Predecased by Lorna’s parents: Harry (2013) and Irene (2015) Tully, who lived in Brandon. Don was the youngest of five children born to James Elvin Smith and Marie Winnifred Burluraux Wright. James passed away in 1949 leaving Marie and children to look after the farm at Osage, SK. A hired man helped them on the farm and the two older sons helped until Mervin took over the farm at a later date. Don attended Osage School for grades 1-8 and then Fillmore High School. He went to Weyburn and Estevan, SK. where he worked for mercury dealerships in the parts departments. He accepted a transfer to Brandon in 1971 to work with Wilton Mercury Sales. Don studied to earn his fourth and third class power engineer’s certficates and accepted a position at Assiniboine Community College in 1975 and met many friends during the 32 years he worked there until retirement in 2007. Don learned to curl at the age of 9 and culred and played fastball in Osage, Weyburn, and Estevan. Don joined a fastball league in Brandon, and then curling in the winter. He continued curling, bowling (for a short time), fastball, and later was a in a snooker league in Brandon. He joined the Kiwanis Club after retirement where he met many wonderful people who became friends. He also had many friends from his sports activities, and other places of employment. Don and Lorna were married on May 20, 1972 and Bradley was born in 1976 and Jared in 1978. We bought our first house in 1974 and then moved to 11th St. E. for a larger house and property to build a garage for Don’s hobbies, etc. The boys worked alongside Don during the renovations on the house on 11th St. and the boys learned some carpentry skills for the future when they had their own houses. When the boys were young we camped for a few years at local lakes and parks as well as camping at Kenosee Lake, travelled through SK and AB, before we sold the camper. We travelled to Yellowstone Park and the Black Hills with the boys, the Calgary Stampede, a trip to Victoria when we took Harry and Irene Tully with us. Harry and Irene often joined us on shorter trips to visit family in Carlyle and in Winnipeg. We also went on road trips with the boys to visit Lorna’s family in Ottawa. We flew to Ottawa either at Christmas, Easter, or Thanksgiving and the cousins got to know each other well. Don, Harry Tully, and Jared took the ferry at Seattle to go to Victoria. We also visited Jared at Fort McMurray where he worked for one summer, and at Yellowknife where Jared and Sandra worked for a summer. We made a few trips to Vermillion, AB where Jared attended college for two years. During our marriage we visited the Smith family two or three times a year. We made many trips to Winnipeg to visit Brad when he was living there. Don was very proud of his sons and we both participated in some of their activities, be it T-ball, soccer, swimming lessons, Beavers and Cubs. Don was a Beaver leader so he went to most of their meetings with them, took them to skating and to Rideau Park for tobogganing in the winter time, occasional games of mini-golf, fishing on occasion. Lorna took them to music lessons, school functions, and other after school activities such as swimming lessons. We took them to Sunday School and Don became a United Church member in the early 1980s. Before and after retirement Don and I made two or three trips to Wakefield, PQ where Don Tully lives. We went on trips to Las Vegas, Branson, Memphis and Nashville with friends, four winter holidays to Victoria, as well as three winter holidays to Arizona. Don and I also went on a road trip from Ottawa to Nova Scotia with Lorna’s brother and wife from Ottawa. We visited with Don’s relatives in Toronto area, and Lorna’s relatives at Georgetown, ON. On our road trips to Victoria we visited relatives in Vernon, BC. Don and I went on an Alaskan cruise and we went to Hawaii on two occasions. Don enjoyed having his granddaughters for visits, and babysitting them in their younger years. The girls enjoyed going to play and spray parks, school playgrounds, going for walks in the neighborhood with Don, riding tricycles on the sidewalks when they were younger, making a snowman, climbing one of our trees, etc. On occasion the girls came to our house after school before their parents were finished work. Don also enjoyed attending their activities at school, 4-H events such as speeches, achievement meetings, etc. until this past winter when Don’s health quickly declined. Don’s illness was very difficult and it broke his heart that he had to quit curling, golfing and the carving club. He was very brave during his illness and didn’t complain very much but it made him very sad. He was a wonderful husband and father to his sons, and in general pleasant with everyone. Don made many friends through sports, Kiwanis Club and the church. We greatly appreciate the visits the Kiwanis Club and friends made to Don and after he went to hospital. Covid-19 prohibited friends from visiting, allowing only family members. We thank all of you who made Don’s days brighter as he was failing. Don, we dearly miss you and hope you are in peace. We hope to plan a Celebration of Life at a later date when it is safe to gather together. Flowers are gratefully declined. Donations in memory of Don may be made to Parkinson Canada–Manitoba c/o #110B-2103 Airport Drive, Saskatoon, SK, S7L 6W2. Thanks to everyone who made donations to Parkinson Canada.

As published in Brandon Sun on Jun 06, 2020