Daryl L. Smith

Daryl L. Smith, 79, of Midland, TX passed away of heart failure on Monday, July 12, 2010, with the full graces of the Catholic Church. Daryl had been a resident of the Vogel Center of Manor Park in Midland for assistance with Alzheimer’s disease and received gentle care at the Midland Hospice Center after a recent heart attack.

Daryl was born September 7, 1930, in Clifton KS to Bernard F. and Elsie G. (Knox) Smith. During his childhood, he had lived in several towns along the Northern Natural Gas pipeline, settling in South Sioux City, NE, graduating from High School there in 1948, where he met the love of his life and wife of 59 years, Darline L. Miller. The two were married on December 30, 1950 at St Michael's Catholic Church in South Sioux City. Daryl attended Wayne State College and the University of Nebraska graduating as a civil engineer in 1952. Like his father, he too worked for Northern Natural Gas Company and lived in several towns including Lyons, NE and Perry, IA. In 1956, Daryl was promoted to the home office in Omaha, NE where he worked until a promotion to Regional Manager transferred him to Midland Texas, in 1972. Daryl was an active member in the Society of Petroleum Engineers, and a lifetime member of the Knights of Columbus. When offered early retirement in 1986, Daryl went back to school to study business administration. Daryl often commented on how much tougher math had gotten since he was last in school. He received his MBA from the University of Texas of the Permian Basin in 1989.

Daryl was preceded in death by his parents, and his sister Frances, daughter-in-law Lisa Loveless Smith, and granddaughter Stephanie. Daryl is survived by his loving wife Darline and their nine children, daughter Liane (Tony) Gulizia of Longmont, CO; daughter Cindy (Jerry) O'Hagan of North Chapel, NC; son Rev. David Smith, S.J. of Griswold, IA.; daughter Shari (Greg) Folger of Midland, TX; son Bryan (Sandy) Smith of Carrollton, TX; son Allan Smith, DDS of Bellevue, NE; son Lance (Shar) Smith of Midland, TX; son Danny (Mary) Smith, DDS of Papillion, NE; and daughter Susie (Patrick) Vandeventer of Grapevine, TX; 27 grandchildren, and 3 great grandchildren; two sisters Dee (Leo Pat) Engel of South Sioux City, NE, and Joleen (Ray) Jones of South Sioux City, NE; and a brother Dr Jerry (Charlotte) Smith of Omaha, NE.

A prayer vigil will be held at Ellis Funeral Home Tuesday, 7:00 PM, with funeral Mass at St. Ann's Catholic Church in Midland, Texas on Wednesday, 11:00 AM, and a second funeral Mass at St. Michael’s in So. Sioux City, NE on Saturday at 1:00 PM, with Rosary at 7:00 PM on Friday at Becker-Hunt in So. Sioux, and inurnment at St Michael’s Catholic Cemetery in South Sioux City, NE. Arrangements are under the direction of Ellis Funeral Home, 801 Andrews Hwy. Midland, Texas 79701, (432) 683-5555. Condolences may be offered at www.ellisfunerals.com.

Memorials are suggested to the Creighton University Retreat Center in Griswold, IA.