Forrest L. Smith
Forrest Lee Smith was born Feb. 15, 1926, at Hereford, Texas.
He attended Kansas State College in Manhattan one semester, enrolled in agriculture before joining the U.S. Army in November 1944. He was discharged from the Army at Fort Sheridan, Ill, in August 1946.
He then re-enrolled at Kansas State College in fall 1946. He attended three semesters before transferring to Colorado A&M in Fort Collins, Colo., graduating in 1950 with a degree in animal husbandry and farm management.
He applied for and was hired by Scully Estates as an assistant farm manager and soil conservationist. He reported for work on Oct. 1, 1954, and retired at the end of 1993 after spending the last 15 years as manager of the Scully Estates land in Marion, Dickinson, and Butler counties.
He was also president of Midlands Farm Management and Appraisal, Inc., which was formed by Scully Estates to provide management services for other landowners.
Forrest was a member of the Kansas and American Society of Farm managers and Rural Appraisers during the years he was employed by Scully Estates. He was elected president of the Kansas Chapter of ASFM&RA in March 1989 at their winter meeting.
Forrest married Joyce Duckworth of Fredonia, Kan., on Sept. 22, 1951, at First Christian Church in Fredonia. Two sons were born to this union: Craig Winfield Smith on Oct. 25, 1952, and Marc Lee Smith on Feb. 9, 1959.
He was a member of Marion Christian Church, serving as Deacon, Elder, and Chairman of the Board, Trustee, and served on the property committee. He was a member of the American Legion, James William Miesse Post 22, and he helped organize and establish the avenue of flags at the Marion Cemetery. Forrest was a member of the Marion Country Club, serving as secretary/treasurer at the time the club purchased 80 acres from Mr. and Mrs. Clive Jarvis. He was a member of the Marion Chamber of Commerce and served as chairman of the Agriculture Committee and on the Board of Trustees. He was a past member of Centre Lodge 147 of the Masons.
After his retirement, Forrest served on the Marion City Library Board from 1994 to 2002. He also served as a member of the Marion Cemetery Board.
Forrest passed away with his wife at his side on March 27, 2012, at St. Luke Living Center in Marion, Kan.
He was preceded in death by brothers, George Jr. and Meade; and sisters, Lillamae Cornett, Velma Bodine, and Peal Nehls.
Forrest is lovingly survived by his wife, Joyce; his sons, Craig and wife Sherry of Pace, Fla., and Marc and wife Dawn of Topeka; his sister, Betty and husband Dr. Mark Plummer of Bloomington, Ill., and Sun City, Ariz.; a sister-in-law, Helen Smith of Fredonia; eight grandchildren, five step-grandchildren; one great-grandchild; three step-great-grandchildren; and his nieces and nephews.