Baker City, Oregon
John D. Smith, 96, of Baker City died Nov. 21, 2000, at his home at Baker City.
A family memorial service will be scheduled later. Disposition was by cremation at Gray’s West Pioneer Crematory.
Mr. Smith was born on May 2, 1904, at Elkhart, Ind., to Joseph and Florance Denny Smith. His family homesteaded at Molt, Mt., in 1908. He made Billings, Mt., his home in his youth. He played basketball for his high school team there.
He enjoyed many firsts in the early part of the century, from automobiles to airplanes, golf and tennis. He loved to travel and was one of the first to use the Columbia River Gorge Highway in Oregon.
He was a banker for the Security Trust and Savings Bank at Billings before going to work for International Harvester in credit collections. He was a salesman for the company in his later life and enjoyed it very much.
Places he called his home included Park City and Billings, Mt., and Idaho Falls, Twin Falls, Boise and Caldwell, Idaho. He lived at Caldwell for 14 years. He also had lived at Vancouver and Battleground, Wash., Salt Lake City and at Portland, Lincoln City and Baker City.
His interests were in people of the simple life, travel in rural areas, gardening and seeing places of interest. He was particularly fond of Sumpter and Northeastern Oregon. He also enjoyed traveling in his old territory throughout Wyoming and Montana.
He was a Mason and a member of the United Commercial Travelers for more than 50 years. He remains a true man of the “old West” in the hearts of family and friends.
Survivors include three daughters, Jeanine Johnston, and her husband, Tom, of Walla Walla, Wash., Aeletle Loughrey of Boise and Muriel Jones of Tracy, Calif.; four grandsons, Brent and Cam Johnston of Seattle, Wash., Paul Jones of Livermore, Calif., and Mike Loughrey of Caldwell, Idaho; three granddaughters, Kathy Loughrey of Gaithersburg, Md., and Betty Jones and Shirley Schorer, both of Monterey, Calif.; two great-grandsons; two great-granddaughters; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his parents; three sisters; a brother; and his wife, Emelou.
Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of one’s choice through Gray’s West & Co., P.O. Box 726, Baker City, Ore. 97814.
Used with permission from: The Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, December 1, 2000
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor
