Representative Ward B. Smith View All Years

WARD B. SMITH

MR. SPEAKER: Your committee, appointed to prepare a suitable resolution commemorating the life, character and public service of the Honorable Ward B. Smith, begs leave to submit the following memorial:

Ward B. Smith was born in Old Bradford, near Nashua, Iowa, March 20, 1858. He was the son of Leander and Eliza Smith, one of the pioneer families who helped in the building of the Little Brown Church in the Vale, being very active members.

Mr. Smith received his education at the Bradford Academy and as a young man taught school for a few terms, later representing a harvester company.

On December 21, 1882, he was married to Sarah R. McCreary, who passed away in 1919. Following their marriage they lived in Indianapolis, Indiana, for one year. They returned to make their home on the farm southeast of Nashua. For several years after Mr. Smith left the farm he followed the occupation of stock buyer and in 1904 the family moved to town where Mr. Smith lived until the time of his death.

On January 25, 1922, he was married to Mrs. Luna Bartsch, who died in 1939. Following her death he spent the remaining years of his life with his daughter, Mrs. Lucille Meier. He passed away November 21, 1943.

Mr. Smith served in the Fortieth, Fortieth Extra and the Forty-first General Assemblies of the State Legislature of Iowa. He also served as a member of the Board of Supervisors of Chickasaw county and held various town and church offices and was a member of the Congregational Church and president of the Nashua State Bank.

The following taken from his obituary:

“Mr. Smith was a man of integrity and uprightness, highly esteemed by all who knew him. He was a kind husband, and indulgent father, a true friend, and neighbor and a loyal citizen.”

He is survived by an only daughter, her husband, one grandson and one granddaughter.

Merlin Meier, his son-in-law, wrote this poem in honor of his memory:

HONORABLE WARD B. SMITH

“His life was long, his words were few,

He made his vows and kept them too,

His promise was with honor bound

And when he spoke, then truth did sound,

Within his home he was a man

Who lived a life that few men can,

His manner kind to friend and foe

Showed forth where e’er he’d go,

And lucky is the girl, the lad

Who chose him for their own granddad.

His life is past, but there lives on

The memory of the way he won,

How better then this world would be

If all would live the life did he.”

Therefore, Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Fifty-first General Assembly of Iowa, That in the passing of the Honorable Ward B. Smith, the State has lost a valued and honored citizen and his family a loving father and grandfather and the House would tender, by this resolution, its sincere sympathy to the surviving members of his family in their sorrow; and

Be It Further Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be spread upon the Journal of the House and that the Chief Clerk be directed to send an enrolled copy to the family of the deceased.

ARTHUR C. BLATTI,

JOE F. GARDNER,

WILLIAM KRUSE,

Committee.

Unanimously adopted,