Sam Smith

Dates

Obituary

Sam Smith, 83, of Mitchell, SD, passed away Thursday, July 16, 2026, at Madison Hospital in Madison, SD.

Samuel Gordon Smith was born on June 11, 1943, to Wanda (Powley) and Samuel Smith in Pender, Nebraska. He died on July 16, 2026, leaving the world a better and happier place because he was here.

Sam lived a big life, befriending strangers every day with a joke and a handshake. That’s how he met Diane Way and swept her off her feet at a show choir competition in Sioux City, Iowa. They later made their home in Mitchell, South Dakota, where he spent the last 15 years of his life making Diane feel special, appreciated, and, most of all, loved.

Diane’s children, Kyler (Amber) Way, Caitlin (Amos) Meyer, Boyce (Caitlyn) Way, and Karst Way, loved Sam as well. He was thoughtful and generous with his time, humor, and excellent cooking. He never missed an opportunity to tell them how grateful he was to be welcomed into their family and all the chaos, laughter, and love that came with it. He especially loved being silly with Diane’s grandchildren, Ronan, Marie, Kieran, William, and Claire and looked forward to taking them fishing, telling them stories, and watching them grow.

Sam adored his daughter, Kelli, and her husband, Dave, as well as his granddaughter and namesake, Samantha, and her husband, Aaron. His great-grandchildren, Sloane and Finn Samuel, held an especially special place in his heart.

Sam spent much of his career in sales, where his gift for conversation and genuine interest in people served him well. Over the years, he sold everything from home furnishings to cemetery plots to automobiles, never meeting a stranger and rarely losing his trademark sense of humor. Retirement didn’t slow him down. He found purpose serving children at Our Home in Parkston, South Dakota, and later as a paraprofessional at Mitchell High School, where he enjoyed encouraging students and brightening their days. Away from work, Sam was a outstanding cook, a skilled craftsman who built and upholstered furniture, framed photos and artwork, and a talented golfer and hunter.

He was a natural storyteller and jokester. Most of his stories centered around hunting, golf, great meals, and family, and he always had a joke ready for any occasion. A devoted Nebraska Cornhuskers and Los Angeles Dodgers fan, Sam was a walking sports encyclopedia. If you had a question, chances were he had the answer.

Sam loved sharing meals with family and friends, happily critiquing the atmosphere, service, and food. He had an uncanny ability to remember not only the best restaurant in any town he’d visited, but also what street it was on and who the maître d’ was the last time he was there.

In celebration of Sam’s life, family and friends will gather in the freight-house room at the Depot in Mitchell, South Dakota, on Saturday, September 26, at 1:00 p.m. to enjoy good food, drinks, storytelling, jokes, toasts, laughter, and, most likely, a few tears. All are welcome. If you knew Sam, chances are you have a story to tell. Bring it with you. It’s exactly how he would have wanted it.

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