Harold Chester Smith, age 94, passed away in Wolf Point, Montana, on Tuesday, July 22, 2008. He spent a number of years at the Poplar Nursing Home and more recently at the Wolf Point Faith Lutheran Home. Harold was a member of the Assiniboine tribe; his Indian name was Chonda Sunda (Strong Heart).
Harold was born on May 5, 1914, in Poplar, MT, the son of James and Elizabeth “Lizzie” Smith. He attended Indian Boarding Schools (Chemawa, Genoa) and then graduated from Brockton High School. He spent a few early adult years in Washington, DC, working as an auditor for an insurance company. He briefly attended Georgetown University. However, he spent most of his life in the Poplar area, farming wheat and barley.
In 1954 he married Ruth Cecilia Longee; they were married for24 years. Harold loved hunting—deer, antelope, prairie chickens, pheasant—and especially the thrill of tracking elk in the Montana mountains. He could follow elk tracks for a couple days and then get close enough to shoot the elk between the eyes—without the use of a scope. He also loved the camaraderie of his hunting buddies, especially his brothers—Finley, Thomas, Grant, James, and Gerald (his twin).
Harold spent many summers (when the wheat could be left for a week) on trout fishing trips to the Madison River and Tenderfoot areas. He was well known as an arrowhead finder/collector. He enjoyed bowling, working crossword puzzles, playing cards, reading (Lewis & Clark), digging Indian turnips, and cooking tripe stew or beef tongue (and everything tasted better with cabbage!).
Harold was preceded in death by his former wife, Ruth, five brothers, and their only sister, Elsie Bennett. He’s survived by his four children, Ardis Cecil (Jeff) of Prattville, AL; Paul Smith of Poplar, MT; Vicki Smith (Loren) of Wolf Point, MT; and Denise Smith of San Diego, CA. Harold has seven grandchildren: Mike Prescott (Florence, MT), Taylor Cecil (AL), Angela LaFloe Hale (KS), Marc Hough (KS), Jessica Smith (Poplar), Burdette Smith (Billings), and Savannah Smith (CO). He also has seven great grandchildren with two grandbabies due in October.
Visitation and service will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 31, 2008, at the Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel in Poplar, followed by burial in the Poplar Cemetery. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.stevensonandsons.com. Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel of Wolf Point has been entrusted with the arrangements.