Ralph E. Smith, 95, died Friday August 13, 2010 at Seneca View Skilled Nursing Facility in Montour Falls.
Friends called from 10 a.m. to noon Monday, Aug. 16 at the Baird Funeral Home, 36 Water St., Dundee; where a funeral service was held at noon with Pastor Gladys LaFever officiating. Burial followed in Hillside Cemetery, Dundee.
The family will provide flowers and respectfully request, that memorial contributions in Ralph’s memory be sent to the Himrod Fire Dept. Himrod, NY 14842.
Ralph was born Nov. 30, 1914 in Himrod, the son of Ira and Lillian Athaws Smith. A farmer when he was young; he became a boiler maker for Dresden Power Plant, where he worked for many years before returning to farming in 1941. On Nov.29, 1941 he married the former Winifred D. Mitchell.
Together they raised four children. She passed away on July 3, 1985. In 1962 he became a self-employed excavator, as Ralph Smith Excavator of Himrod; where he worked until 1993. On Oct. 10, 1987 in the Second Milo Baptist Church he married the former Irene Doan-McLoud. Mr. Smith was a member of Himrod Baptist Church, and the Penn Yan Moose Lodge. He enjoyed dancing and hunting.
He is survived by his wife of 22 years Irene M. Smith of Canandaigua, his son Gary (Judy) Smith of Arnold, Mo., three daughters Gail (Steve) Gulyas of Ithaca, Janine Putnam of Sayre, Pa., and Nora (Michael) Statler of Bloomfield, Mo.; eight grandchildren; 14 great grandchildren; five stepchildren Dan R. (Sandy) McLoud of Whithall, Carol Craik of Syracuse, Linda M. Stone of Farmington, Kathleen A. (Tony) McLoud of Crown Point, Diane (Michael) Gazda of Farmington; over 35 step-grand, and great grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Besides his first wife, he was pre-deceased by two brothers, Kenneth and Lawrence Smith; two sisters, Velma Egburger, and Beatrice Wright, and a son-in- law Dr. J David Putnam.
