Obituary

Ivan J.

Smith

Ivan J. Smith, 87, of Wellington, died Oct. 11, 2009 following a lengthy illness.

Born June 20, 1922, he was the son of the late Mable and Blaine Smith.

Mr. Smith was a 1942 graduate of Wellington High School. He operated his family farm in Wellington and was an active member of the farming community where he hauled livestock for local farmers and was a seed salesman. Mr. Smith was also a bus driver for the Wellington schools. A member of the Grange, he served as deputy master for the state of Ohio as well as the president of the Grange cafeteria. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Wellington and the LaGrange Engine Club. He enjoyed fishing and hunting.

Survivors include his wife of 16 years, Elsie Smith; sons, Arthur and James Smith, both of Wellington; stepchildren, Jackie Rivera of Kipton, Janice Paynowski of Medina, and John Cramer of Louisiana. He is also survived by three sisters, Dorothy Mason and Mary Longacre, of Elyria, and Carolyn Smith of Wellington; and many nieces and nephews. Mr. Smith was preceded in death by his first wife, Marion Smith; brothers, Leroy Smith and Gale Smith, and two sisters Jeanette Smith and Virginia Miller.

Visitation will be held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. today, Tuesday, Oct. 13, with a Grange service being held at 7:45 p.m. at Norton-Eastman Funeral Home, 370 S. Main St., where a funeral service will be held on Wednesday at 11 a.m. Memorial contributions may be made to Well-Help, 127 Park Place, Wellington, Ohio 44090, or to the American Diabetes Association 4500 Rockside Rd., Suite 440, Independence, Ohio 44131. Condolences may be expressed online at www.nortoneastmanfuneralhome.com.