Rodney G. Smith

Rodney G. Smith, 85,

Minot, died Wednesday,

April 27, 2022, in a Minot

hospital.

Rodney G. Smith was

born June 29, 1936, in

Minot, North Dakota, the

son of Merle and Mathilda

(Simmons) Smith. He was

raised on the family farm

in McHenry County out-

side of the town of Deer-

ing. He attended school in

Deering. He enlisted with

the U.S. Navy on April 1,

1954, and attended boot

camp at the Great Lakes

Naval Training Center be-

fore being transferred to

Norfolk, VA. He honor-

ably served his country

during the Korean Con-

flict on the U.S.S. Trathen

throughout Asian ports.

Upon completing his ser-

vice, he was transferred to

Long Beach, CA, and

honorably discharged in

April of 1957.

Rodney returned to

North Dakota and was un-

ited in marriage to Mar-

yAnn Kongslie on De-

cember 28, 1957, in Up-

ham, ND. They made

their home in Minot,

where they raised their

three sons, Kevin, Brad-

ley, and Brent. He was

employed throughout the

years as a machinist with

the Great Northern Rail-

road, later Burlington

Northern, for more than

42 years. He retired in

1998. For a time, he

worked for Dakota Plate

and Glass and then at

Wildwood Golf Course as

a groundskeeper.

Rodney was a member

of the Minot Eagles Lodge,

American Legion, and

I.A.M. of the Great North-

ern Railway and had

donated to countless char-

ities and organizations

throughout the years. He

was an avid pool player

and a golfer who won

several state and local

Chili cookoffs and served

on the board of his local

condo association. He was

a known country crooner

by his family and friends

at festive gatherings.

His loving family in-

cludes his wife of 64

years, Mary Ann; sons,

Kevin (Charlotte Aberle)

Bradley Smith and Brent

(Rebecca) Smith;

grandchildren include,

Davin Smith, Annaka

(Chris) Drouin, Collin

Smith, Jared Smith

(Vanessa Kraft), Gavin

Smith and Allen Smith;

great-granddaughter, El-

lasyn Louise Drouin;

sister-in-law, Marva Dean

Smith Brother in law Dale

(Shirley) Kongslie and a

number of nieces,

nephews and cousins.

Rodney was preceded

in death by his parents

Merle & Matilda, siblings,

Melvin “Bud” (Mim)

Smith, Raymond (Nonie)

Smith, Omar (Betty)

Smith, Curt Smith, Duane

(Gerry) Smith, Irma (Or-

ville) Kitzman, Lorraine

(Hollis) Grilley, Justine

(Pat) Pfeiffer, Vera (Pete)

Peterson and infant sister,

Audrey, father- and

mother-in-law Reuben

and Alice Kongslie, spe-

cial family friend Tracey

Arne.

Celebration of Life: Will

be held May 21st from

1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at

the Clarion Hotel in the

Exhibition room in Minot,

ND.

Graveside service: 23rd

of May at 1:00 p.m. in the

North Dakota Veterans

Cemetery, Rural Mandan,

with military honors ac-

corded by the U.S. Navy

and Mandan Veterans of

Foreign War.

Visitation: At his re-

quest, there will not be a

viewing, however friends

may sign a memorial re-

gister book on 22nd of

May from noon to 2:00

p.m. at Thomas Family

Funeral Home, Minot.

Memorials: In lieu of

flowers or plants, memori-

als are preferred to N.D.

Veterans Cemetery or an

organization of the

donor’s choice.

Memories and con-

dolences can be shared at

www.thomasfamilyfuneralhome.com