Doreen B (Kurtz) Smith Obituary

Description: Doreen B (Kurtz) Smith Obituary... Our Heartfelt Condolences To Her Loved Ones...

Doreen B (Kurtz) Smith

January 8, 1922 - July 11, 2024

Obituary

Doreen B (Kurtz) Smith was born January 8th, 1922, in Wheatland, WY, to Fred E. “Fritz” and Elta L. (Kretsinger) Kurtz; she joined a 20-month old brother, Curtis, to make a budding young family and was joined by sister Elta May three-years later, by which time the family had moved to Estherville. IA. Seven-months given birth her Mother, Elta L., died after a botched operation. Her father then returned to Brookings County South Dakota near Elkton, SD and family to take up farming on dry-land rented from the Puhr family for one-third of the crop yield. Knowing he was unable to care for an infant and farm, Fritz transferred custody of the infant to her maternal Grandparents with the understanding they would raise her as their own and took his 5-year old son and 3-year old daughter to help him on the farm, the house of which had no running water, indoor plumbing or electricity. In 2015, at the age of 93, Doreen, wrote her memoirs, “From the Puhr Farm”, documenting her life’s remarkable journey.

Within a few miles of their farm lived a number of aunts, uncles &  cousins that assisted in her rearing: Doreen attended her first two years of primary school in Brookings, the County seat, as Curtis and she were boarding with her paternal grand-parents, who were German immigrants and spoke little English. Her second-grade teacher had attended teacher’s college with her Mother and paid particular attention to her; thus, inspiring her to ultimately become a teacher.

Her father married, Florence Newton, a young teacher at a neighboring rural school in 1929, which greatly improved Doreen’s lot as Florence also had lost her mother at a tender age and understood her needs. She and Fred had an additional six children to complete the family.

Doreen attended a neighboring one-room school three-miles from the farm for the balance of her primary education. She and Curtis commuted to grade-school riding-double on a faithful horse. Her high-school education was a bit disjointed; she attended her freshman year in Brookings while boarding with her paternal grandparents, her sophomore year in Elkton, SD boarding with her maternal grandparents and her final two years in White, SD, near where the family then lived. They had moved to a farm which had been homesteaded by Florence’s father in 1938, which was a couple miles north of White.

In the fall of 1940, she attended General Beadle Teachers College (Normal School) in Madison, SD, with a loan from her father for books & tuition and by working for room & board.

By March 1941, she had a contract to teach at a one-room country school 7-miles from White where she, at age 19, taught 12 children in all eight grades on a contract similar to that of her Mother’s 1917 contract, but a 20% less salary of $48 per month for the nine-month school year.

The first month’s salary went toward repaying her loans from her father. The first year she taught had a degree of romance and intrigue. At that time, a school teacher could not be married!! She, however, had eloped across the State line into MN, on July 5th, 1941, with Irvin J. Smith; however, after their marriage both continued to live with their parents so she could teach. That ploy worked until they decided in the spring of 1942 to purchase a house in Brookings for $800 and knew they had to tell their parents. She moved out of her parent’s home north of White into Brookings with Irv’s widowed Mother for the balance of the year so her commute to school increased to 21-miles. She was asked to teach the next year and had 17 children the second year.

As WW II had started in December 1941, Irv was swept into the Marines in late 1943. After he completed boot camp, Doreen went to San Diego with him until he shipped out for Guam in May 1944; in route, he was assigned to be the company barber for the officers, which was a new career for him. Doreen sent him a hand clipper, scissors and supplies. Tips enabled him to send an extra $30 per month to supplement the $30 allotment she received, which was much needed as Doreen was pregnant. They’re son, Douglas, was born by caesarean in November 1944; Irv did not see his son until December 1945, he was discharged the next February.

After the War, Irv had various employment in small towns in the vicinity including working in creameries and for a phone company. Their daughter, Sherry, was born in November 1946, completing the little family. In late 1951, they acquired a retail dairy store in Pierre, SD, living above the business. The first spring, the business was inundated when the Missouri River flooded; with major effort they were back in operation by late summer.

Doreen and Irv had roller-skated since they first dated and had performed at events, competitions, and exhibitions; they initiated Doug and Sherry into their routine and supplemented their income in this manner. They rented an old Army barracks near Pierre and converted it into a roller-skating rink, promoting it with their act as then performed around the State. Once, Doreen & Irv performed the ‘Skater’s Waltz’ accompanied by Myron Floren of Lawrence Welk’s band. Doreen also reentered the teaching profession to supplement the family income.

In 1955, Irv was offered a more secure position in Denver, CO, with a dairy and they moved; Doreen enrolled in Denver University, since the children were in school. Within six-months, Irv was offered a job as plant manager for a creamery in La Junta 180 miles south of Denver. They moved; within a year the creamery was sold and Irv’s job eliminated. He got a job with the Santa Fe Railroad within a day, where he stayed for 24-years until retirement, and, since he worked nights, became the pro at the local golf course.

Teacher certification requirements had evolved from her time in Normal School, so she began pursuing a BA at Adams State College in Alamosa, which she received in 1960. After attaining a degree, La Junta hired her to teach first grade. She also enrolled in a summer MA program at Colorado State College in Greeley, a 4-hour drive north. She then taught special education in La Junta for 15-years; she capped her career by teaching kindergarten for 17-years before retiring in 1986. In retirement, she remained very active with travel, family and surrogate grandmother to a couple of families.

Doreen and Irv celebrated their 50th Anniversary in 1991, but sadly Irv died in December 1992. She remained in La Junta keeping busy with family and a number of organizations, then in April 2011, she moved to Greeley, CO to be near her son & daughter while living independently, being active in her local Methodist Church and various writing classes, which was the basis for her memoirs.

Doreen B Smith, died July 11th, 2024 at the age of 102. Survivors include daughter Sherry Rose from Greeley, CO, grandchildren Dale and Shand Ross; Jason and Damon Smith and Becky (Ross) Brindle. Seven great-grandchildren and three great, great grandchildren: and siblings Wallace Kurtz of Rocky Ford, Colorado and Leslie Ferris of Boynton Beach, Florida. She was preceded in death by her husband, son Douglas Smith, granddaughter Mary Kay Ross and siblings Curtis, Fred, William, and Kendall Kurtz, Elta Woodard, and JoAnn Meyer.

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