Edward "Lad" Walter Smith

Edward “Lad” Smith, age 91, of Bartley, Nebraska, passed away at his home, surrounded by his family, on Sunday, February 23, 2020. He was born in Bartley, Nebraska on February 7, 1929 to Joseph H. and Viola (Smith) Smith. Lad attended and graduated from the Nebraska School of Agriculture at Curtis in 1946 and attended one year of college at Colorado A&M in Fort Collins, Colorado. On January 18, 1951 he joined the United States Navy during the Korean War in the Pacific Ocean on the aircraft carriers:  USS Essex, USS Kearsarge and finally the USS Bataan. Lad was Honorably discharged on December 1, 1954.

Lad was united in marriage to Beverly Pycha on June 7, 1953 in Bartley. To this union three children were born:  Kathleen, Kristy Jo, and Thomas.  The family farmed in the Bartley area.  He was a member of the Bartley Fire Department serving as a fireman and EMT, member of the VFW Post 7030 and a member of the William Wight Post 245 American Legion.  Lad served on the Bartley town board and was a member of the Kemper United Methodist Church of Bartley.  Lad enjoyed family time and his children’s and grandchildren’s activities.  Lad and Beverly enjoyed traveling to the USS Bataan ship reunions.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Viola Smith; two sisters, Josephine Behrends and Miriam Smith.

Lad is survived by his wife, Beverly of Bartley, two daughters, Kathleen and husband, Mark Webb of Park City, MT, Kristy Jo and husband, Mike Kreiling of Bartley, and son Tom and wife, Patricia Smith of Bartley: seven grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren.

Memorials my be given in Lad’s name at Lockenour- Jones Mortuary.

Visitation will be held at the Lockenour-Jones Mortuary in Cambridge on Thursday, February 27, 2020 from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Funeral Services for Lad will be held on Friday, February 28, 2020 at 10:30 a.m. at the Trinity United Methodist Church in Cambridge, NE, with Rev. David Kim and George Probasco officiating. Interment will be in the Bartley Cemetery with Military Honors. Friends may leave online condolences at lockenourfh.com.  Lockenour-Jones Mortuary entrusted with arrangements.

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