Melvin D. Smook

MELVIN DONALD SMOOK was born on June 11, 1928 to Harm and Bertha (Budgett) Smook in Ellsworth, Minnesota. At a young age, the family moved to Luverne, Minnesota, where he was raised and attended school. Through the years, Mel grew to be a very talented basketball player and made many great memories playing on the high school team. Mel graduated from Luverne High School in 1947. He then enrolled at Augustana College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He took a leave from college to serve his country in the Korean War. He was deployed as an Army message center chief in Yokohama, Japan. Following his honorable discharge on May 7, 1952, he returned to Augustana where he graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Business in 1954. He began to pursue his master’s degree at Arizona State University but his father’s illness caused him to return home and work at the family’s Texaco Station in Luverne. On February 10, 1968 he was united in marriage to Jane Zimmerman in Mankato, Minnesota. The couple made their home in Luverne. He continued to operate the family business and in 1974 converted the station into Smooky’s Pizza. He sold Smooky’s in 1981 and began working for AAA Travel until his retirement in 1992. During their retirement years he and Jane loved to travel, especially to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Throughout the years they visited many destinations, seeking out good golf courses during the day and playing bridge at night. Melvin entered Sanford Luverne Hospice Cottage on December 26, 2011 where he died peacefully on Wednesday, December 28, 2011 at the age of 83 years, 6 months and 17 days.

He was a member at Grace Lutheran Church in Luverne where for many years he volunteered overseeing the church offering. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge and the Shriners Club. In his younger years he earned his pilot’s license and loved to fly the Cessna that he and his friend purchased together. He enjoyed golfing, coin collecting, fishing, reading, and playing bridge. He was an avid fan of John Wayne movies with his favorite film being “Midway”.

He is lovingly remembered by his wife, Jane Smook of Luverne; his children, Brad Smook of Council Bluffs, Iowa, and Margaret “Peg” Knowles and her husband Tom of Belleville, Illinois; eight grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Evelyn Ahrendt; and a daughter-in-law, Brenda Smook.