Russell Edward, Sr. Smith

Russell Edward Smith, Sr.

8/26/1961 – 8/30/2017

Russell Edward Smith, Sr. was born in LaSalle, IL on August 26th, 1961 to his mother, Catherine Anne Miller, and his father, Franklin Eugene Smith. He was born as the middle child of 7 children. His sisters, Robin and Lorri, and his older brother, Frank, Jr. preceded his birth. His younger sisters, Tracy and Darcy, as well as his younger brother, Brad soon followed.

            Russ graduated from Seneca High School in Seneca, IL in 1979. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in April 22, 1980 and continued to serve until April 21, 1986. He went on to work in communications for PRC Kentron in the South Pacific at Kwajalein, Marshall Islands where he met Deena Marie Pendleton in May of 1987. They were married shortly thereafter and had two sons while together; Russell Edward Smith, Jr. in March, 1988, and Zachary Quinton Smith in June, 1990. Although they later separated, Russell continued to be closely involved in his son’s lives. He never remarried.

                He spent time in many technical positions, including a transmission line repairman, systems administrator, network engineer and others. He developed an interest in computers during his time in the Navy, and continued to hone his skills throughout the rest of his life, achieving an A.O.S. in Computer Networking, as well as CompTIA A+/Network+ and Cisco CCNA technical certifications. His peers often appreciated how great he was to work with. He was currently employed at Cradlepoint, Inc. in Boise, ID.

                Russ was an avid gamer, spending much of his spare time throughout his life gaming with his sons and his nephew, Christopher, passing on his unique sense of humor. He loved fishing, especially while in Minnesota. He traveled to many different countries during his time and had set foot on 5 of 7 continents. He always wanted to visit the remaining two.

                Russell is preceded in passing by his mother, Catherine. He is survived by his father, Frank; his two sons, Russell, Jr. and Zac, all of his siblings, and many nieces and nephews. Russ spent most of the last 8 years of his life living with his nephew, Chris Pendleton, and his fiancée, Rocio Miramontes, as well as their two children, Katrina and Carmen. They all loved him dearly.

Uncle Russ, you will be sorely missed.

Family and friends are welcome to attend a small gathering held at his home to honor and celebrate his life on Wednesday, September 6, 2017 from 2-6 p.m. For additional information contact Zachary Smith at 208-989-9973 or visit Russell Smith, Sr’s Facebook page. A full obituary is available at nampafuneralhome.com.

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