Hugh Edward Smith

Hugh Edward Smith, age 79, of Versailles passed away Tuesday, January 18, 2022 at Bothwell Regional Health Center in Sedalia.

It was on February 4th in 1942 that Bill and Leone Roller Smith welcomed their sweet baby boy, Hugh Edward into their home in Sweet Springs.

Ed was a graduate of Sweet Springs High School and attended college at UCM in Warrensburg.

On October 21, 1995 in Versailles, Ed was united in marriage to Jeanne Greer, who survives at their home.

After college, Ed worked as a supervisor at Wilcox Electric in Kansas City for several years.  He moved back to the Sweet Springs area and worked at Saline Vault Co.  In the mid-70s, Ed moved to Versailles and became plant manager of Wilbert Vault.  After leaving Wilbert Vault, he became a real estate agent with Century 21 and later Don Drew Realty.  In the midst of that, Ed was also an EMT for Morgan County.  He became an insurance agent and investment broker and those were the career paths that he enjoyed the most.  Being able to serve others through those services became a passion of his and was the career he retired from.

Ed always had a servant’s heart and doing things for his community was second nature to him. Ed was a member and past master of the Masonic Lodge, member of the Abou Ben Adhem Shrine Club, former member of the Versailles Lions Club, and former President of the Morgan Co. Senior Citizens Tax Board.  Years ago he was an active member of the Morgan County Rescue Squad as well as serving as a President of the first board of directors for the Versailles Rural Fire District when formed in 1989 .  These are just a few of the service orientated organizations he was actively a part of over the years.

In the last several years, he liked to spend his free time playing music at the local nursing homes and Nutrition Site.  He and the group of musicians he played with were known as Ed Smith and The Over The Hill Gang and brought a lot of smiles to those they played for.  In his younger years, he was an avid horseman and loved his time outdoors.  He was a long standing member of the Sweet Springs Saddle Club as well as the Versailles Saddle Club and made many a memory on horseback.

Out of all these things, Ed enjoyed spending time with his wife, Jeanne, and his family the most. His family including his grandchildren were his pride and joy.

Left to carry on Ed’s legacy is his wife, of almost 27 years, Jeanne; their children, Bonnie Williams and fiancé Doug Young of Stover, Becky Oerly and husband Ryan of Jamestown, Cameron Smith of Springfield; Marsha Stafford of Killeen, Texas, Terri Paxton and husband Ron “Butch” of Lee’s Summit; and Nikki Frerking and husband Duane of Versailles; twenty grandchildren; several great grandchildren; a brother-in-law, Michael Kelz of Marshall; along with other relatives and friends.

Ed was preceded in death by his parents, his sister, Carol Ann Kelz and his son-in-law Dwane Stafford.

Funeral services will be 10:00 a.m. Monday, January 24, 2022 at the Scrivner-Page-Dady Funeral Home in Versailles. Burial will be at 2:00 p.m. in the Pisgah Cemetery in Elmwood, Missouri.

The family will receive friends from 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. Sunday, January 23, 2022 with a Masonic Service to follow at the Scrivner-Page-Dady Funeral Home in Versailles.

Memorial contributions are suggested to the Shriners Hospitals for Children.

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