Maurice R. Smith

Maurice R. Smith, 78, of Rockford passed away surrounded by his family on May 22, 2017, at Swedish Covenant Hospital in Chicago. He was born on June 25, 1938, in Fairbury, NE, the son of Otis and Bertha (Mathy) Smith. He proudly served in the United States National Guard as a Sergeant in a Heavy Weapons Platoon. He graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1964, where he also played nose tackle for the Cornhuskers. He married Lana (Turner) on February 13, 1965, in Concordia, KS. He was employed by the Rock Island Railroad, Sunstrand Corp., and Sensient. He was a proud member of Holy Family Catholic Church, a charter member of the Knights of Columbus of Fairbury, a regular volunteer for the Cornucopia Food Pantry, and a member of many community boards. Above all, he was a loving husband, father, grandfather, and friend to many.
He cherished all of the relationships he built over the course of his long and successful career as a Human Resources executive. He loved trees, football (as long as the Huskers were winning by a lot), garden work, and books, especially ones about World War II. He collected antiques, model airplanes, historical flags, and Christmas ornaments. He was an active dad who went on many camping and fishing trips, built pinewood derby cars, coached soccer teams, and helped with Science Olympiad projects. He enjoyed traveling with Lana and friends after his retirement to places such as Alaska, Australia, Russia, and Europe. A great joy of his life was getting to know his grandkids and having them get to know him. He was quick with a smile and welcomed friends into his home as if they were family. He always saw the best in people and loved our country.
He is survived by his wife, Lana Smith; his children, Stephanie (James) Koh, Brice (Melissa Kemp) Smith, and Eric (Talya) Smith; his grandchildren, Grant, Spencer, Emily, Ethan, and Xavier; twin sister, Myrna Proctor; sister in-law Beverly Smith; nieces and nephews, Stephen (Kelly) Smith, Chris Love, Deb (Bob) Harrison, Leanne (Steven) Parr, Kristin (Donnie Bohon) Smith, Alisa (Arnold) Valden, Tanya (Michael) McCue, and Erin (Dennis) Firment; and many grandnieces, grandnephews, and friends. Predeceased by his parents and his brothers, Clifford, Leonard, and twins Leland and Leon Smith.
A funeral mass will be held on Tuesday, May 30, 2017, at 11:00 a.m. at Holy Family Catholic Church. A visitation will be held from 9:00-10:30 a.m. at Fitzgerald Funeral Home, Mulford Chapel, with a procession to Holy Family for Mass. Burial at Scandinavian Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials to the Cornucopia Food Pantry or the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society appreciated.