Obituary of Loyal E. Smoke

Loyal Eugene Smoke, age 90 of Pampa, Texas and formerly of Limon, Colorado passed away Tuesday, December 20, 2016 at Ussery-Roan Texas State Veterans Home in Amarillo, Texas. He was born May 7, 1926 in Leeds, North Dakota, the son of Donald Smoke and Clara Opdahl Smoke. Loyal attended various one room schools near his family farm. He was paid $5.00 a year to carry a three-gallon pail of water to school each day for the students and teachers to use as drinking water. Sometimes they were bussed by bobsled in the winter. In his early teens, he purchased his own truck and went into the trucking business hauling grain, lumber, and other materials. He enlisted in the Army shortly after turning 18 and was sent to the Pacific front. After the war, he was employed by the Great Northern Railroad as an engineer on a steam locomotive. When the railroad converted from steam power to diesel power he was laid off. Loyal moved to Denver and began to work for the United States Postal Service. He was married to Carol Tanner in 1955. They raised four children together, but this marriage was dissolved. He retired from the Post Office in 1984 and moved to Limon, Colorado. He met Vi Lewis when purchasing a house from her sister. They married on December 31, 1988. In retirement, they enjoyed traveling to visit their various children and grandchildren. Loyal was most well known for his “hobby” of rebuilding old tractors, old cars and anything mechanical. He was highly respected in antique restoration circles for his rebuilding work. He had 21 different entries in one Lincoln County fair parade. He won many blue ribbons at different antique farm shows throughout the Midwest. Loyal was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, and one sister. He is survived by his wife Vi of Pampa, Texas; his children Patty Tanner (John), Bruce Smoke, Victor Smoke, Stuart Smoke, Scott Lewis (Cheryl), Connie Grendahl, Melissa Lanini, Mark Lewis (Deborah), seven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Loyal is also survived by one sister, Lois McKay and many nieces and nephews. The family would like to thank the staff at Ussery-Roan Texas State Veterans Home for the compassionate care they gave to Loyal during the final period of his life.