Dale Smith

Dale E. "Doc" Smith, 80, of Cape Girardeau passed away Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2001, at St. Francis Medical Center.

He was born Feb. 11, 1921, at Patton, Mo., son of Charles and Ella Mae Denman Smith. He and Hyacinth Hoffmeister were married Aug. 29, 1941. She passed away May 20, 1988. He and Bernadine "Bunny" Vogt Harris were married June 9, 1990.

Mr. Smith was a graduate of Patton High School. He was a senior machinist many years at the former Jackson Hosiery Mill. He retired as a custodian at Jackson Junior High School in 1986.

He was in the U.S. Army from Feb. 16, 1943 to Nov. 19, 1945. He received four Bronze Stars for service in the Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, and Central Europe Campaigns. He also received a Distinguished Unit Badge and Good Conduct Medal.

Mr. Smith was a member of Altenthal-Joerns American Legion Post 158 and Legion Honor Guard, VFW Post 3838 in Cape Girardeau, Excelsior Lodge, and Scottish Rite.

He was a former Jackson city councilman and member of First Baptist Church. He and his wife volunteered at Missouri Veterans Home.

Loving survivors include his wife, Bunny; a son and daughter-in-law, Charles S. and Carolyn Smith of Jackson; a daughter, Sharon Fronabarger of Herrin, Ill.; three stepsons, Jerome Bartinikas, Thomas E. Bartinikas and Dale Harris, all of Sarasota, Fla.; a sister, Dot Pirtle of Farmington, Mo.; five grandchildren, Lane and Garrett Fronabarger, Julie Fronabarger Gray, Brett and Ryan Smith; and two great-grandchildren, Megan Lynndale Gray and Max Lynndale Gray.

He was preceded in death by a brother and a sister.

Friends may call at McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson from 4-8 p.m. today. An American Legion Honor Guard service will be held at 7.

Funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Dr. Brian Anderson will officiate. Burial will be in Russell Heights Cemetery, with graveside military honors.

Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to Missouri Veterans Home.