Clarence Charles Smith Jr., 88, of Cromwell, passed away Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2019, at Cardinal Courts in Cromwell.

He was born May 7, 1931, in Mount Vernon Township near Winona, Minnesota, the youngest of 11 children born to Clarence and Ina Smith.

The family moved to Cromwell in 1940, where he lived the rest of his life. Clarence married Ruth Maki on Jan. 20, 1951, and together they raised eight children on their dairy farm. He was also an electrician at Conwed/USG for 44 years. He loved high school sports and spent many years attending his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren’s functions. Clarence served on the Cromwell school board for nine years, and also on the Cromwell Credit Union and the Cromwell Creamery boards. He was a member of the Apostolic Lutheran Church in Kettle River.

Clarence was preceded in death by his special great-grandson, Kaleb Anderson; sisters Dora Heaser, Hazel Line, Geraldine Kurkinen, Marjorie Ihrke, Eileen Walters and Delores Kisler; and brothers Garld, Erwin and Donald.

He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Ruth; children Dick (Terry), Lee Ann (Guy) Anderson, Bill (Kay) and Peter (Shawna), all of Cromwell, Betsy Smith of Cloquet, Nancy (Dick) Korbi of Esko, Pauly (Bucky) Granholm of Kettle River and Dale (Tammi) of Mansfield, Texas; brother Eugene (Pat) Smith of Cloquet; and 27 grandchildren and 43 great-grandchildren.

Services were held Oct. 19, at the Atkins Northland Funeral Home, Cloquet. Inurnment in Eagle Lake Cemetery. To sign the guest book and offer an online tribute, see http://www.atkinsnorthlandfuneralhome.com.

Printed in the Pine Knot News, Oct. 25, 2019.