Harold Eugene Smith

Harold Eugene Smith, 84, of California, Mo., passed away on February 13, 2021, at Capital Region Medical Center in Jefferson City. He was born September 20, 1936, in Weston, Mo., the son of William Harrison, a locomotive engineer for the Union Pacific and Irene Lee (Stephens) Smith, both of whom preceded him in death. He graduated from Wyandotte High School in the Kansas City area. Harold served in the United States Army as a specialist in the quartermaster branch in the late '50s. While enlisted, he was offered an opportunity to join an army military string band back east but declined due to family circumstances. After completing his service at Fort Sill, OK, he returned to the Kansas City area where he met and eventually married Judy Ann Dean in 1964. Shortly thereafter, he accepted a position with the Rock Island Railroad out of Eldon, Mo. This move allowed him to work switch engine in the St. Louis area and eventually become a locomotive engineer. When the Rock Island Railroad was bought out in the early '80s, he was one of the few able to retain his job. He transferred to Jefferson City, Mo. In 1968, Harold moved his family to a farm located on the Burris Fork Creek near High Point where he and his wife maintained a herd of Charolais cattle. He would live the rest of his life there. Harold displayed his love of life by sharing his musical talent with others. Throughout the early 1970s, he played frequently at the Ritz Theatre a.k.a. Finke Theatre in California, Mo. He helped organize a local band called the Ozark Melodies, which performed throughout the mid-Missouri area. During this time, he competed in and won several fiddle contests. In addition to being an accomplished fiddle player, he mastered the mandolin, guitar and bass guitar. He This gladly used his talent in the service of the Lord, in whom he loved and trusted, by playing at many local charismatic churches in the '80s. As he got older, Harold spent more time on his farm spending time with his family, taking care of his pets and reading. Along with his wife, Judy Ann Smith, Harold is survived by his two daughters, Anita M (Eric) Schroeter, California, Mo., and Jean Annette (Michael) Gilstrap, Colorado Springs, Colo.; four grandchildren, Simon Lewis Schroeter, Gregory Dean Schroeter, Madison Athena Wooley and Grant Reagan Wooley; one sister, Sharon Thomas; and several nieces and nephews. All funeral arrangements are private. Online messages to the family may be contributed at www.windmillridgefuneralservice.com.