Arlan R. Smith, 91

Arlan R. Smith

Bullhead City, Ariz. Arlan R. Smith, usually known as Doc or Smitty, of Bullhead City,?Ariz., died on Aug. 13, 2012, after a long and eventful life.

Arlan was born in Elmore on Nov. 9, 1920, to Maynard and Rose Smith and was the youngest of four sons. He spent many happy summers driving teams of horses to work the fields on his family’s farm. He graduated from Elmore High School and went to college at Michigan State in East Lansing, where he studied Veterinary Medicine and was an active member of Theta Chi Fraternity. While he was in college, World War II broke out and he joined the army, but was told to complete his degree because veterinarians were needed for the war effort.

While he was in college he met and married Norma Henningsen. Over the next 15 years they lived in Rush City and then Cambridge, both in Minnesota, where Arlan practiced as a veterinarian, and they had two daughters, Nancy and Linda. He was active in local groups including the Lyons Club, the Golf?Club and the Rum River Saddle Club. When he sold his practice he was often told by former clients that they missed him because he talked to their animals.

In 1960, he took a job with the State of Wisconsin and the family moved to Fort Atkinson, Wis., where he was a Field Veterinarian and his son Paul was born. After three years he was transferred to the main office in Madison, where he headed the Mastitis program, and he eventually became the Supervisor of all the Field Veterinarians and Livestock Inspectors. While working for the State, he purchased a farm outside of Poynette, Wis., and moved the family there in 1970. After three years on the farm, Arlan and Norma divorced. Arlan stayed on the farm with Paul and moved back to Madison in 1980. He retired in 1982 and moved to Idaho, where he married Jill Kasprzak. They built a house in Long Valley and lived there for many years. His family grew with the addition of Jill’s children, Tim, Wendy, John, Caroline, and Inge. Arlan and Jill enjoyed traveling the country to visit family, working with the Back Country Horsemen, restoring wooden boats, and developing a patent for a bovine treadmill.

Arlan was preceded in death by his ex-wife, Norma Ingraham, and stepson, Tim Kasprzak.

He leaves his wife, Jill Smith, of Bullhead City; their children, Nancy Fitzgerald, Linda Keeton, Paul Smith, Wendy Boehm, John Kasprzak, Caroline Kasprzak and Inge Kasprzak; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Arlan will be cremated and at a later date services will be held in McCall, Idaho, where his ashes will be spread on Jug Handle Mountain as he requested.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Lung Association in Arlan Smith’s name.