Donald Lee Smith, 90, a native of Mt. Morris, died at home in Centennial, Colorado, on Thursday, July 12, 2018.
A retired journalism professor, he taught at Penn State University from 1962 to 1990.
He was a 1947 graduate of Mt. Morris High School, and earned two degrees from the University of Illinois-Champaign.
During 1951-55, he served as a writer and editor with the U.S. Air Force.
He later did newspaper and public relations work, and served as an instructor at the University of Illinois before joining the Penn State faculty.
He was born in his paternal grandmother’s house on South Ogle Avenue in Mt. Morris on June 9, 1928, the son of Jess H. and Olive Middlekauff Smith.
He leaves his wife of 59 years, Mary (Mercer) Smith, of Centennial, Colorado, formerly of State College, Pennsylvania, and Princeton; two daughters, Kaia (Steve) Stulock, of Denver, Colorado, and Gretchen (Per Olsen) Smith, of State College, Pennsylvania; and three granddaughters.
He was the brother of Jean Dusing, of Mt. Morris, who preceded him in death.
No service was held. The cremains will be interred at Fort Logan National Cemetery, Denver, Colorado, in a private ceremony.
Contributions may be made to the Colorado chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association in memory of Donald L. Smith.