Earl Smith, Jr. of Wingate passed away Tuesday afternoon at Franciscan Health of Crawfordsville.  He was 82.

Mr. Smith was a member of the Masonic Lodge in Wingate, which later merged into the New Richmond Lodge.  He was a 50-year member and Past Master.  In addition, he was a member of the Scottish Rite, as well as the Crawfordsville Elks.  He served many years with Montgomery County 4-H, Inc. particularly as supervisor of the swine barn.  He was named Outstanding Young Farmer in 1968 by the Jaycees.  He spent his entire adult life farming, first in Benton County and then moving to the Wingate area in 1953, where he's lived ever since.

He served as a director for Montgomery County Farm Bureau and was a member of the New Hope Chapel in Wingate.  He earned a pilot's license in the 1980s and purchased a plane in 1982.  He loved to fly and gave people rides to the Farm Progress Show in Rochester and in Illinois.  He very much enjoyed square dancing and ballroom dancing.

Born April 2, 1940 in Otterbein, he was the son of Earl W. Smith and Lillie Eckart Smith.  He graduated from Coal Creek Central High School in 1959.  He married Karon Smith on April 1, 1961 at the Pleasant Hill Chapel in Wingate.  She survives.

Surviving family includes: wife, Karon Smith of Wingate; two sons, Mark (Elizabeth) Smith of Manchester, Tennessee, and Brian (Rhonda) Smith of Wingate; three grandchildren, Tyler (Sabrina) Smith of Ohio, Lydia (Mike) Aspatore of Crawfordsville and Katelyn Smith of Ohio; three great-grandsons, Lincoln, Lorenzo Smith and Ian Aspatore: sister, Erthie Steiner of Fowler.

He was preceded in death by his parents, grandson, Dylan Smith, four sisters, Geraldine Kenoyer, Lorella Cady, Wilma Smith and Carol Titus.

Visitation will be from 5 to 8 PM Friday, Oct. 7 ^th at Family and Friends Funeral Home in Wingate with Masonic Rites at 8.  Funeral services will be held at the funeral home on Saturday at 11 AM with Steve Wilson officiating.  After the service, he will be laid to rest at Oakland Cemetery, near Elmdale.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in memory of Earl Smith be made to Hopes and Promises Preschool at New Hope Chapel in Wingate or to your favorite charity.  Online condolences may be made by visiting familyandfriendsfh.com .