John
John Smith
d. April 10, 2012
John T. Smith, 74, a resident of Bettendorf, Iowa, died Tuesday, April 10, 2012 at his residence surrounded by his loving family.
A memorial mass will be held at 1:30 p.m., Thursday, April 19, 2012 at St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Bettendorf. Visitation will be held from 1:00 p.m. until the time of the mass on Thursday at the church. Burial with military honors will be held at Rock Island National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Smith family.
John was born May 11, 1937 in Indianola, Mississippi, the son of Pleade L. & Agnes Mary (Sanders) Smith. He was united in marriage to Mary E. “Penny” McKnatt on December 24, 1963 in Gonzales, California.
John served his country for over twenty-two years in the United States Army during which time he served his country honorably in the Vietnam War. John retired from the service in 1977 after which he and his wife Penny were independent operators of their own business and later became an indispensable employee at The Home Environment Center in Davenport until the time of his death.
John was known for his strong work ethic and willingness to help anyone in need. In his spare time John enjoyed following the Iowa Hawkeyes and Chicago Bears. John especially enjoyed spending quality times with his friends, especially his Sunday breakfasts with his dear friend Jimmy Livermore.
Those left to honor his memory include his wife, Penny; his daughter, Peggy J. McKnatt of Melbourne, Florida; his son, Jeffrey T. Smith of Bettendorf; his sisters, Dorothy “Dot” Frizielle, Shirley Picknell and Helen Picknell, all of Cottage Grove, Oregon; and his brother and sister-in-law, Larry & Clara Smith of Sutherland, Oregon.
John was preceded in death by his parents and his step-father, Roy Picknell.
Online condolences may be expressed to the family by visiting John’s obituary at www.McGinnis-Chambers.com.
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