Alger Smith

Alger Henry Smith…

was born to Albert “Al” and Elsie (Tubergen) Smith on August 12, 1942, in Pipestone, Minnesota. He was baptized and made his profession of faith at the Holland Christian Reformed Church in Holland. He was raised in rural Verdi, Minnesota and attended grade school at Holland Christian School. He graduated from Verdi High School in 1960. He then joined the South Dakota National Guard where he served for six years, based out of Flandreau, South Dakota. On September 23, 1966, he was united in marriage to Marilyn Spronk at the First Christian Reformed Church in Edgerton, Minnesota. Following their marriage, they lived in Sioux Falls, South Dakota where he was employed at Warren Supply. In 1969, they moved to Pipestone, Minnesota. Over the years he worked a variety of jobs, including Stoeber Marine, Bayliner, CHS, and was a John Deere mechanic for over 20 years. His true passion was farming and spending time at the farm tinkering with various projects. Upon returning from a two week “bucket list” trip through the western U.S., he fell ill and was taken by ambulance to the Pipestone County Medical Center where he died on Wednesday, July 19, 2017, at the age of 74 years, 11 months and seven days.

Alger was a member of the Christian Reformed Church in Pipestone, Minnesota where he served as a deacon and on the building committee. He was very mechanically inclined and could fix, repair or weld anything. Things that most people considered “work” he just enjoyed doing. In the wintertime, he could always be found with a jigsaw puzzle in his sunroom. In the past few years, he enjoyed working farm shows for Abilene Machine. Most of all, Alger was a helpful person, never passing up an opportunity to assist friends and neighbors.

He is lovingly remembered by his wife, Marilyn Smith of Pipestone, Minnesota; three children, Tamara (Chris) Tureson of Maple Grove, Minnesota, Torre Smith of St. Paul, Minnesota and Alissa (John Arneson) Smith of Overland Park, Kansas;three grandchildren, Brianna Rieck, Hailey Snyder and Braeden Rieck; two siblings, Nancy Johnson of Lake Benton, Minnesota and Gary (Evie) Smith of Paynesville, Minnesota; his father-in-law, Henry W. Spronk of Edgerton, Minnesota; in-laws, Glenda and Norm Van Dyke of Edgerton, Bill and Carol Spronk of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Dave Spronk of Denver, Colorado. He was preceded in death by one son, Jason Smith; his parents, Al and Elsie Smith; his mother-in-law, Henrietta Spronk; and one brother-in-law, Steve Johnson.