Born: Wednesday Apr-05-1950
Died: Wednesday Aug-14-2019
Funeral: Saturday Aug-24-2019

Morrison Funeral Home
& Crematory
188 S. Hwy 24
Rupert, Idaho 83350
Contact and Directions

On Wednesday, August 14 2019, Richard (Smitty) Dennis Smith, loving husband and father passed away at age 69.

Richard was born on April 5, 1950 in Idaho Falls, Idaho. His parents were Reynold Dennis Smith and Reoma May (Adams) Smith.  His home for the first few years was on a small cattle farm in Mackay, Idaho. But when the farm was sold in 1956, he, his parents, and siblings, Merlene, Lonnie, and Leah moved to Blackfoot, where he went to school and graduated in 1968.  Not long after graduation he joined the United States Navy. It was while he was stationed in San Diego, California that he met Marietta (Rita) Pearl Postlewait and they were married on October 19, 1972. They had two sons, Danny and Sam.

Rick retired from the Navy in 1991.   After which, he and Rita moved to Gannett, Idaho where he worked for the Sun Valley Corporation until his retirement in 2016.

His interests were horses, guitars, and shooting.  Shooting was his main passion and he was a crack shot.  He learned to reload and make his own ammunition. He loved riding his horse, Tesla. And together they joined the Sawtooth Rangers Riding Club.  He was proud to be a veteran. He enjoyed talking to other vets, especially to older ones, and liked hearing their stories about their service to their country.  And he was fiercely patriotic.

He was preceded in death by his father, Reynold Dennis Smith, his mother Reoma Smith and his younger brother Lonnie Franklin Smith.  He is survived by his wife Marietta, (Gannett, ID) his sons, Danny Smith, (Gannett, ID) and Sam Smith, (Jennifer) of Mossyrock, WA, his granddaughters Gracie and Ashley, grandsons, Brandon and Corey, and great granddaughters Harper, Addilynne, and Reagan, his sisters Merlene Hurst, (Arlen) of Heyburn, ID and Leah Silcock (Robert) of Burley, ID, and several cousins, and nieces and nephews.

On August 24, 2019, the viewing will be at 12:00pm followed by the service at 1:00pm at the LDS Church in Leslie, Idaho.  In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to "Northwest Battle Buddies” at https://www.northwestbattlebuddies.org/ who provides service dogs for combat veterans with PTSD.  Arrangements are under the direction of Morrison Funeral Home, 188 South Hwy 24 in Rupert.