Claire L. Smith

CLAIRE L. SMITH ORLANDO, Florida - Claire L. Smith, 94, of Orlando, a former resident of Muscatine, Iowa, passed away on Saturday, March 31, 2018, at his home. A funeral mass will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, June 8, 2018, at St. Mathias Church. A luncheon will be held at Gannon Hall following the mass. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery after the luncheon. Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 7, 2018, at the Ralph J. Wittich-Riley-Freers Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to the National Parkinson's Foundation. Claire was born on May 1, 1923, in Cass County, Iowa, the first son of Miriam Sophia Butler and Roy Patrick Smith. He completed the first eight years of his education in a one-room school house. Claire served in the Navy during World War II, achieving the rank of Pharmacist's Mate 3. He then attended St. Joseph Missouri Jr. College, Omaha University, and Creighton University before graduating with an MS in Microbiology at the University of Iowa. Claire married Catherine Duesman on August 22, 1953, in Humphrey, Nebraska, and came to Muscatine in 1955, to work in the Research Department at Grain Processing Corporation wher...[more]

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e remained for 33 years. After retiring, he became active in volunteer work as a teacher in the MCC Adult Literacy Program for 10 years and with Meals on Wheels for 15 years. He was a member of St. Mary and Mathias Parish and served on the steering committee that created the St. Mary's Parish Council before serving a term on the council. He enjoyed refurnishing and caning furniture he purchased at auctions, writing stories, reading, and travel. His passion was politics and he enjoyed participating in the Iowa caucus. In 2014, Claire moved to Orlando to be close to his son and daughter. Those left to honor his memory include his brother, Wayne Smith of Merrill, Wisconsin (Rosemary); a sister, Marilyn Seuntjens of Mapleton, Iowa; daughter, Patricia (Richard), son, John; daughter-in-law, Darlene Smith; son-in-law, Thomas Brehmer; five grandchildren, Jeffery Smith, Amber Miller, Karli Smith, Krista Smith, and Kyle Smith; and four great-grandchildren Travis, Lucas, Arabella, and Makayla Miller. He was preceded in death by his wife, Catherine; son, Thomas; daughter, Monica; and daughter-in-law, Lori Smith.