Ollie Smith

Hastings resident, Oliver "Ollie" Smith, 94, died Friday, June 27, 2008 at Mary Lanning Memorial Hospital, Hastings, NE. Services will be Thursday 11:00 at the First United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Alan Davis officiating; Burial will be in Parkview Cemetery with military rites. Visitation will be Wednesday from 9 am to 9 pm with family present from 7 pm to 9 pm. Condolences may be sent to the family from www.brandwilson.com. Ollie was born, June 15, 1914 in Central City, NE to Edmond E. and Annamary (Caldwell) Smith. He attended Central City High School, and at the Nebraska Central College getting his bachelors degree from the Fullerton Jr. College and took advanced classes at the UNL. He married Bette A. Brown on August 2, 1942 and passed away July 18, 2003. He served in the US Army Air Force during WWII from January 13, 1942 to February 1, 1946. Ollie began his teaching career as teacher and Superintendent of the Horace NE. school moving on to be the Principal of the Chapman school near his childhood home. He was a teacher and coach at Clay Center from 1937-1941 and 1947-1951 and moved from Clay Center to be the football coach and eventually athletic director at Hastings High School from 1951-1973. He sold real estate for Gateway Realty from 1973-1979 where he finally retired. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church and a Lay Representative of the church annual conference for 4 years. He was a scout for the Cincinnati Reds and Athletic Directors 1981 Hall of Fame inductee, an Admiral in the Great Navy of the State of Nebraska; a member of the Tehama Shrine for 60 years where he was a Jester, a member of the American Legion, Elks Club, and 1985 Kiwanian of the year. He was the South Shrine Football coach from 1962 to 1963, one of the Founding Fathers of the Shrine Football Bowl and was the first Shriner to be selected as head coach of a Shrine team and was a Founding Father of Hastings Midget Football. In 1971 he was one of three school employees to be the first to receive a lifetime pass to the all Hastings High School activities. He was given the Outstanding Service Award by the Nebraska Athletic Directors Assn. in 1981. Ollie received the Laubach Literacy Tutor certificate and was involved in the Hastings literacy program. He is survived by 1 daughter, Patsy Jo McKinney and husband Jim of Wauneta, NE, 1 son, Scot Smith and wife Dixie of Hastings, 1 son-in-law, Rod Maggart of Gering, NE. 7 Grandchildren, Dave Maggart, Trisha Mueller, Amy Jo Roselle, Aaron McKinney, Ryan, Jami, and Caleb Smith and 7 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife Bette,1 daughter, Sue Maggart, parents, Ed and Annamary Smith, and 2 sisters, Rosina McKenzie and Phyllis Greving. Memorials may be given to the Shrine's Hospital for Crippled Children.