Rodney Paul Smith, 56, Williston, passed away Saturday, June 9, 2012, from natural causes. He was fishing with one of his best friends at Little Beaver Bay on Lake Sakakawea.

His funeral service was at 2 p.m. (MST) (3 p.m. CST) on Wednesday at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Westby, Mont. Burial followed at Emmaus Cemetery near Westby.

Rodney was born to Ronald L. and Kathleen (Neubauer) Smith on June 20, 1955, at Mercy Hospital in Williston. He was raised in Williston, graduated from Williston High School and received an Associates Degree in Wild Life Management from Williston State College.

Rodney married Elgene Tommerup at the Emmaus Church of rural Westby July 27, 1984. At the age of 14, he began working for Geo-Resources under the supervision of his Uncle Tom Neubauer who was Plant Manager. He worked for Geo-Resources before becoming part owner of Leonardite Products in 2008.

Rodney enjoyed and treasured the friendship of family, co-workers, cousins, and friends. His favorite pastimes were hunting and fishing. He was a responsible and dedicated worker, and known for his integrity, sincerity, and humbleness. He will be missed by all who knew him: he did not have an enemy in the world, and was loved by everyone who knew him. Rod was the”go-to-guy” for anything that needed to be done.

He is survived by his wife, Elgene, Westby; his mother Kathleen Smith, Williston; sister Monica and her husband Harlan Fixen, Williston; brothers Perry, Neil and his wife Roberta and Brad and his wife Michelle, all of Bismarck. He is also survived by his “dad” John Tommerup of Westby and his “baby sisters”, sisters-in-law Kay Tommerup, Westby and Fay Moore, Wolf Point; and Fay’s children, Stephanie Paine and her husband Joe and their children Nathaniel, Jeremiah, and Adam Paine; Kristina Branson, and her husband Chris, and their children Claire, Chris, and Kevin; Jonathan Moore and his wife Molly, and their sons James and Abram; as well as by numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his father, Ronald, grandparents, his brother-in-law, Jim Moore, mother-in-law Dorothy Tommerup, and cousin Dan Neubauer, and numerous aunts and uncles

https://www.willistonherald.com/obituaries/rodney-paul-smith/article_c5ddc4d0-b4b1-11e1-9d6d-001a4bcf887a.html