Henry ‘Hank’ Smith, 82

Oct. 30, 1939 —

April 22, 2022

 

ELMA - Henry “Hank” Smith, age 82 of Elma, Iowa passed away peacefully at his home in Elma on Friday, April 22, 2022.

A memorial mass of Christian Burial will be held at 3 p.m on Friday, April 29, 2022 at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Lourdes, Iowa. There will be a one-hour visitation at the church prior to the funeral mass. Burial will be held at Our Lady of Lourdes Cemetery. Online condolences may be left at www.conway-markhamfh.com. Memorials may be directed to the family.

Henry was was born in Elma, on Oct. 30, 1939, the son of Henry and Veronica (Polansky) Smith. He attended Elma Public School. He lived in Waterloo, Iowa for a time and worked at the 7-Up Bottling Company and Northrup King. Later he moved to Des Moines, Iowa, where he was an assistant to a bricklayer. 

He returned to Elma, where he owned and operated the Farmer’s Inn. He later worked at a variety of jobs. He especially enjoyed working at the Blue Bird and socializing. He continued to live in Elma after retirement.

His family and friends will fondly remember him as “Hankster.” His favorite line when offering to do a job was “I’ll do it for five bucks and two cans of beer.” He was well-known for singing “his own songs” and donning those “rose-colored glasses.” He enjoyed watching Westerns, playing cards, taking walks and spending time with his nieces and nephews.

Hank is survived by his sisters, Margaret George of Phoneix, Ariz., Jeanette Dickhoff of Des Moines and Sue (Tom) Miller and Teresa (Joe) Klobassa of Elma; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his sisters, Monica Komarek and Marie Smith; and brothers-in-law, Alphonse Komarek and William Dickhoff.