1916
Christy
2006
Christy Smith
November 27, 1916 — April 18, 2006
Funeral services for Christy K. Smith will be held at 2:00 P. M. Saturday, April 22nd, at the First United Methodist Church in Newcastle, Wyoming. Officiating will be Reverend Dr. J. Edwin Coates. Interment will be in the Green Mountain Cemetery on the Smith Ranch, 27 miles north of Newcastle, Highway 585, in Weston County. The family prefers memorial contributions to the Green Mountain Cemetery or Friends of Fair. Worden Funeral Directors of Newcastle are in charge of the arrangements.
Christy passed away April 18th after his courageous battle with Parkinson?s disease.
He was born November 27, 1916 at the Pride of the Prairie Ranch, Weston County, Wyoming. He attended country schools or went to school at home with his brother Peter when the teacher lived at the Smith Ranch. He attended both Sundance and Newcastle High Schools, graduating from Newcastle High School in 1935 where he was an outstanding athlete. He was captain of the basketball team and All State football tackle in his senior year. Christy attended the University of Wyoming in 1935 but quickly returned home to the ranch that he missed and loved. He operated the ranch with his father and brother, Peter. When Nels Smith was elected governor in 1939, the brothers took over the operation of the ranch. Christy became the sole owner of the Lodgepole and Prairie Ranches. Christy met his future wife, Bethel Muir, when his cousin, Earl, introduced him to the new business teacher in Newcastle. They were married on his parent?s wedding anniversary, December 20, 1943. Christy loved to ride and train good horses. He bought, sold, and traded with great joy and enthusiasm. He was always searching for another horse as good as Squirrel, Billy, Little ML, Big Red, Old Red, or even Conquistador. He enjoyed all sports but his favorite was Rodeo. He had participated in roping events and wild cow milking in his youth. He did a calf-roping exhibition for tourists when he was visiting an Arabian horse farm on Catalina Island. This ability served him well as he tended his beautiful Hereford cattle. He drove the 6 and 8 horse hitch teams that pulled the Deadwood Stage carrying the Imperial Potentate. He was a good farmer that loved and cared for his land. He was a true conservationist before it became popular.
Christy has carried on the Smith tradition of public and community service by serving on the Wyoming Livestock Board from 1969 ? 1975. He was president of the board. For eighteen years he served as director on the Tri County Electric Board. He served as Vice- President of the board. He was a director on the board for the National Bank of Newcastle from the time of its founding in 1963 until he retired. He was Republican Precinct Committee man for many years and was a delegate to the Republican Convention in San Francisco in 1964. He was Cancer Crusade Chairman for Weston County in 1964, is a member of county, state, and national Stockgrowers, the Registered Hereford Breeders Association, honorary member of both 4-H and FFA in recognition of his service to Weston County youth. He was a 60 year member of Masons and 50 year member of Shrine. He was a pilot of his own Piper Cub. He was a big game hunter in Wyo, Canada, and The Sudan, Africa. He spent hours stalking the mighty Wapiti on the cattle?s summer range. He was proud to carry his Golden Eagle Passport and enjoyed taking people to see the National Parks. Christy and Bethel enjoyed traveling. They visited Scandinavia, Italy, Egypt, Mexico, New Zealand, and Australia; plus Alaska, Hawaii and much of the USA. Christy?s enjoyment of life has always been centered around his family, friends, and the ranch.
He was preceded in death by his parents, and his wife, Bethel Muir Smith. He is survived by his brother, Peter F. Smith of Mexico and Sand Creek, Wyoming, daughters, Kristy Kay and her husband Ronald Benson of Tucson, AZ and the Pride of the Prairie Ranch, Colleen and her husband Rick Popham of Lone Tree Ranch, Upton, Wyoming, and Michele of Pride of the Prairie Ranch, Newcastle Wyoming; four grandchildren Christa Ann Jones and Cary Reese of Lone Tree Ranch, Elizabeth and Candace Benson of Denver, Colorado, two great grandsons, two nephews, and two nieces.
Christy passed away April 18th after his courageous battle with Parkinson?s disease.
He was born November 27, 1916 at the Pride of the Prairie Ranch, Weston County, Wyoming. He attended country schools or went to school at home with his brother Peter when the teacher lived at the Smith Ranch. He attended both Sundance and Newcastle High Schools, graduating from Newcastle High School in 1935 where he was an outstanding athlete. He was captain of the basketball team and All State football tackle in his senior year. Christy attended the University of Wyoming in 1935 but quickly returned home to the ranch that he missed and loved. He operated the ranch with his father and brother, Peter. When Nels Smith was elected governor in 1939, the brothers took over the operation of the ranch. Christy became the sole owner of the Lodgepole and Prairie Ranches. Christy met his future wife, Bethel Muir, when his cousin, Earl, introduced him to the new business teacher in Newcastle. They were married on his parent?s wedding anniversary, December 20, 1943. Christy loved to ride and train good horses. He bought, sold, and traded with great joy and enthusiasm. He was always searching for another horse as good as Squirrel, Billy, Little ML, Big Red, Old Red, or even Conquistador. He enjoyed all sports but his favorite was Rodeo. He had participated in roping events and wild cow milking in his youth. He did a calf-roping exhibition for tourists when he was visiting an Arabian horse farm on Catalina Island. This ability served him well as he tended his beautiful Hereford cattle. He drove the 6 and 8 horse hitch teams that pulled the Deadwood Stage carrying the Imperial Potentate. He was a good farmer that loved and cared for his land. He was a true conservationist before it became popular.
Christy has carried on the Smith tradition of public and community service by serving on the Wyoming Livestock Board from 1969 ? 1975. He was president of the board. For eighteen years he served as director on the Tri County Electric Board. He served as Vice- President of the board. He was a director on the board for the National Bank of Newcastle from the time of its founding in 1963 until he retired. He was Republican Precinct Committee man for many years and was a delegate to the Republican Convention in San Francisco in 1964. He was Cancer Crusade Chairman for Weston County in 1964, is a member of county, state, and national Stockgrowers, the Registered Hereford Breeders Association, honorary member of both 4-H and FFA in recognition of his service to Weston County youth. He was a 60 year member of Masons and 50 year member of Shrine. He was a pilot of his own Piper Cub. He was a big game hunter in Wyo, Canada, and The Sudan, Africa. He spent hours stalking the mighty Wapiti on the cattle?s summer range. He was proud to carry his Golden Eagle Passport and enjoyed taking people to see the National Parks. Christy and Bethel enjoyed traveling. They visited Scandinavia, Italy, Egypt, Mexico, New Zealand, and Australia; plus Alaska, Hawaii and much of the USA. Christy?s enjoyment of life has always been centered around his family, friends, and the ranch.
He was preceded in death by his parents, and his wife, Bethel Muir Smith. He is survived by his brother, Peter F. Smith of Mexico and Sand Creek, Wyoming, daughters, Kristy Kay and her husband Ronald Benson of Tucson, AZ and the Pride of the Prairie Ranch, Colleen and her husband Rick Popham of Lone Tree Ranch, Upton, Wyoming, and Michele of Pride of the Prairie Ranch, Newcastle Wyoming; four grandchildren Christa Ann Jones and Cary Reese of Lone Tree Ranch, Elizabeth and Candace Benson of Denver, Colorado, two great grandsons, two nephews, and two nieces.
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