{"id":100782,"date":"2026-06-26T15:31:39","date_gmt":"2026-06-26T19:31:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/masterzradio.net\/?p=100782"},"modified":"2026-06-26T15:31:45","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T19:31:45","slug":"richard-dean-dick-smith","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/masterzradio.net\/?p=100782","title":{"rendered":"Richard Dean &#8220;Dick&#8221; Smith"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<!--AUTO-AD-BEFORE-->\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block\"\n        data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\n        data-ad-layout-key=\"-gw-3+1f-3d+2z\"\n        data-ad-client=\"0531879237494766\"\n        data-ad-slot=\"5600453644\"><\/ins>\n    <script>(adsbygoogle=window.adsbygoogle||[]).push({});<\/script>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"339\" height=\"440\" src=\"https:\/\/masterzradio.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Thumbnail-6-2.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-100783\" srcset=\"https:\/\/masterzradio.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Thumbnail-6-2.webp 339w, https:\/\/masterzradio.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Thumbnail-6-2-231x300.webp 231w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 339px) 100vw, 339px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Richard Dean &#8220;Dick&#8221; Smith, 78, of Wabash, Indiana, died Wednesday, June 24, 2026, at his home, surrounded by his loving family. He was born on May 22, 1948, in Wabash to Fred and Pauline (Palmer) Smith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dick was a 1966 graduate of Southwood High School. He continued his education at Vincennes University and later earned his Bachelor\u2019s degree in teaching, with a minor in speech, from Manchester College. On May 12, 1978, he married the love of his life, Lavone Younce, at the Wabash Presbyterian Church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A lifelong hog farmer, Dick raised, showed, and sold hogs across the country and around the world. He also dedicated 38 years to driving a school bus for MSD of Wabash County, including the vocational route, and spent many years working maintenance at the Wabash County Sheriff\u2019s Department and Southwood Elementary School. For 12 years, he served as a substitute teacher. He loved and respected the kids he worked with, and they affectionately called him the \u201cGOAT.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dick was a man of deep faith. He attended Emmanuel Free Will Baptist Church and Bachelor Creek Church of Christ, and he drove a church bus for 20 years. He read his Bible daily and was saved on January 23, 1986. He found great purpose in witnessing to inmates at the prison and to anyone he met.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He cherished time with his family, especially attending his sons\u2019 and grandchildren\u2019s events. One of his greatest joys was attending the Indianapolis 500 with his sons \u2014 a tradition he kept for an incredible 69 years. He also had a passion for antiquing and was famously \u201caddicted to eBay,\u201d collecting pig memorabilia and preacher-themed items.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Above all, Dick was kind, compassionate, and unfailingly positive. He loved deeply, served joyfully, and lived his faith openly. His legacy is one of generosity, devotion, and a life lived with purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In addition to his wife, Lavone Smith, Dick is survived by two sons, Jason (Jozanna) Corn of Wabash and Zechariah (Kristyn) Smith of Carmel; four grandchildren, Jaiya Corn, Jericho Corn, Natalie Smith, and Mac Smith. He was preceded in death by his parents, his son, Joshua Paul Smith, and brother, Ronnie Smith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Funeral services for Dick will be 10:30 a.m., Monday, June 29, 2026 at Grandstaff-Hentgen Funeral Service, 1241 Manchester Avenue, Wabash, with his son, Jason Corn officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Lawns Cemetery, Wabash. Friends may call 2-6pm Sunday at the funeral home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Preferred memorial is 4H Swine Barn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The memorial guest book for Dick may be signed at www.grandstaff-hentgen.com.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/grandstaffhentgen-funeral-service-inc.tributestore.com\/?oId=48846332&amp;tag=&amp;source=tco_description&amp;_cdx=GA1.1.1063076319.1748016019:GS2.1.s1782502046$o170$g1$t1782502095$j11$l0$h0&amp;tcouuid=886d21d3-616b-4bde-b782-d5aa73126ca0&amp;mtph=1\">send flowers<\/a>&nbsp;to the family or&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/tree.tributestore.com\/?oId=48846332&amp;tag=&amp;source=tco_description&amp;_cdx=GA1.1.1063076319.1748016019:GS2.1.s1782502046$o170$g1$t1782502095$j11$l0$h0&amp;tcouuid=886d21d3-616b-4bde-b782-d5aa73126ca0&amp;mtph=1\">plant a tree<\/a>&nbsp;in memory of Richard Dean &#8220;Dick&#8221; Smith, please&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/grandstaffhentgen-funeral-service-inc.tributestore.com\/?oId=48846332&amp;tag=&amp;source=tco_description&amp;_cdx=GA1.1.1063076319.1748016019:GS2.1.s1782502046$o170$g1$t1782502095$j11$l0$h0&amp;tcouuid=886d21d3-616b-4bde-b782-d5aa73126ca0&amp;mtph=1\">visit our floral store.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n<!--AUTO-AD-AFTER-->\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display:block;text-align:center\"\n        data-ad-format=\"autorelaxed\"\n        data-ad-client=\"0531879237494766\"\n        data-ad-slot=\"9212395598\"><\/ins>\n    <script>(adsbygoogle=window.adsbygoogle||[]).push({});<\/script>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Richard Dean &#8220;Dick&#8221; Smith, 78, of Wabash, Indiana, died Wednesday, June 24, 2026, at his home, surrounded by his loving family. He was born on May 22, 1948, in Wabash to Fred and Pauline (Palmer) Smith. Dick was a 1966 graduate of Southwood High School. He continued his education at Vincennes University and later earned &#8230; <a title=\"Richard Dean &#8220;Dick&#8221; Smith\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/masterzradio.net\/?p=100782\" aria-label=\"Read more about Richard Dean &#8220;Dick&#8221; Smith\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[261],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-100782","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-obituaries-2"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","rttpg_featured_image_url":null,"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"Wade Weaver","author_link":"https:\/\/masterzradio.net\/?author=3"},"rttpg_comment":0,"rttpg_category":"<a href=\"https:\/\/masterzradio.net\/?cat=261\" rel=\"category\">Obituaries2<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"Richard Dean &#8220;Dick&#8221; Smith, 78, of Wabash, Indiana, died Wednesday, June 24, 2026, at his home, surrounded by his loving family. He was born on May 22, 1948, in Wabash to Fred and Pauline (Palmer) Smith. Dick was a 1966 graduate of Southwood High School. He continued his education at Vincennes University and later earned&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/masterzradio.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/100782","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/masterzradio.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/masterzradio.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/masterzradio.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/masterzradio.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=100782"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/masterzradio.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/100782\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":100785,"href":"https:\/\/masterzradio.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/100782\/revisions\/100785"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/masterzradio.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=100782"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/masterzradio.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=100782"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/masterzradio.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=100782"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}