Adrain “Duane” Smith
In the wee hours of November 3, 2023, Duane Smith of Summersville, Missouri, passed away peacefully in his sleep at age 75, with his two daughters by his side. Adrain Duane Smith, the son of Adrain Lee Smith and Violet Ilene Tune was born July 1, 1948, in Arroll, Missouri. He passed away after succumbing toa very brief battle with cancer at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, Missouri, on November 3, 2023, making his age 75 years 4 months and 2 days. Duane was united in marriage to Kathy Duncan on July 15, 1967. To this union 2 children were born. Tracey Lea in 1968 and Stacey Lynn in 1972.
Duane lived in Arroll his entire life, not too far from the location where he was born. He attended school at the Arroll Schoolhouse through the 8th grade and then went to High School in Summersville. He had lots of stories to tell about his childhood in Arroll where he had lots of friends, family and adventures. From the time he was a teenager, he helped his dad with the dairy business, first hauling milk and then later milking their own cows. Duane met Kathy when he came to Summersville school in the 9th grade. They dated throughout high school and were married a year after graduation. Later, when it was about time to retire, he traded in his dairy cows for beef cattle. People asked him if he missed milking after doing it for so long and he would say, “Nope, not a bit.” He enjoyed getting to sleep until 7 or 8am.
Duane enjoyed hunting and listening to his hound dogs run coyotes and foxes. He enjoyed going to field trials and being a member of the Fox Hunter’s Association. He owned many dogs over the years and had a few favorites that he hated to see go. He made lots of friends along the way. Everybody in the hunting circles knew who Huckleberry Hound was. Deer season was a favorite time time of year. He also enjoyed going to truck pulls with his red Ford he called Maverick. It was a fun hobby that he enjoyed for several years. Duane enjoyed being with his family. His grandkids were his pride and joy and he enjoyed watching them in their many endeavors be it football, basketball, baseball, ballet, tumbling, you name it. He rarely missed a performance. Finally, he loved listening to country music with Kathy. Especially Waylon, Tom T. Hall and Don Williams, to name a few, but he enjoyed them all. This is how they spent much of their time the last few years, in addition to watching St. Louis Cardinals ballgames on tv. He missed spending time with her and when she died in July, a part of him died with her. He knew Jesus Christ and always strived to live a life of goodness, looking forward to the day when he and Kathy would be reunited in Heaven.
Preceding Duane in death are his wife Kathy Smith, father Adrain Smith, mother, Ilene Smith, father-in-law Bill Duncan, mother-in-law Bonnie Duncan, brother Darrell Smith and brothers-in-law Bob Ivie and David Duncan, sister-in-law Sherry Smith and nephew Brad Ivie. Left behind to grieve are his daughters Tracey Thomas and partner Willie McClain, Stacey Bushong and husband Chris, sister Beverly Ivie, brothers-in-law Billy Duncan and wife Carolyn, Tom Duncan and wife Brenda, grandchildren Danny Thomas and wife Stefanie, Kacey Blunk and husband Scott, and Matthew, Abigail, Nicholas, Kathryn, and Victoria Bushong. Great-grandchildren Tucker Thomas, Dallas Thomas, Zachary Thomas, Colton Boyer, Weston Boyer, and Trenton Thomas, as well as a host of nieces, nephews, and friends.
Duane had a big heart, especially when it came to children. He did his best to take care of everyone around him. He never wanted a fuss made about him. He was humble and selfless to a fault. He leaves a hole in our hearts that will never be filled. We look forward to the day when we are reunited in Heaven.
Visitation will be held
