Allen L. Smith March 18, 1936 – December 27, 2018 Share this obituary Send Flowers Sign Guestbook| Send Private Condolences| Send Sympathy Card Allen L. Smith, 82, passed away peacefully at home with family on December 27, 2018. He was born March 18, 1936 on Countryman Creek near Columbus, Montana – small enough to fit in a shoe box on the oven door. Allen grew up in Columbus, known as “Goose” on the court, he graduated in 1954.
Allen and his high school sweetheart Elaine Menter were married November 6, 1954, and were blessed with three children Allen Jr. (Al), Jim and Dawn. Allen always put providing for his family first on his list. Allen worked for Peter Kiewit construction as a heavy duty diesel mechanic as I-90 was built from Miles City to Anaconda, with stops in Three Forks and Whitehall.
In 1966 he hired on with WestMont Tractor in Missoula. After working on Alaska’s North Slope, he worked for Washington Corporation and Equipco, and he finished his work career with Modern Machinery in 2000. Allen was known for his strong work ethic and encyclopedic knowledge of diesel engines and hydraulics, when other mechanics were stumped, they called him.
He was a true craftsman, mastering wood working and jewelry making in his off hours. He was a skilled goldsmith, faceter and lapidarist, often working on stones he found on outings with his family. In his last years he became the go to man for repairing and restoring vintage Singer sewing machines.
A hunter and fisherman all his life,he instilled a love of the outdoors in his family with camping, fishing and hunting excursions. Later in life he became an avid steelheader, often leaving Missoula at 2:00 in the morning to be on the Salmon or Clearwater river by daybreak. He was preceded in death by his parents Ruby (Brewington) and Russell Smith; his mother and father in law Margaret (Schneider) and Art Menter; brother Russ Smith; sisters in law Arlene (Menter) Blevins and Carol (Menter) Lyons; and brothers in law Calvin Blevins, Bud Rausch and John Lyons.
He is survived by his wife Elaine; children Al (Mariyln) Smith, Helena, Jim Smith, Atlanta, GA, Dawn (Steve) Nielsen, Starkweather, ND; grandchildren Kait (Markus) Husmann, Bantry, Ireland, Ben Smith, Missoula, Jamie Smith, Atlanta, GA; great-granddaughter Rowan Husmann; sisters in law Sharon Rausch, Billings and Dixie Smith, Salem OR; and many nieces and nephews. Cremation has taken place and services will be held later in the spring at the family plot in Joliet, MT.
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