Joe Smith

February 26, 1932 - August 14, 2010

Joseph Harold Smith, son of Wanette (Johnson) Smith and G. Raymond Smith, was born February 26, 1932 in Roswell, New Mexico. He graduated from Roswell High School, and went on to attend New Mexico A & M for one year. In 1951 he married his high school sweetheart, Marta Young in New Mexico. Four children were born to this union: Kelly, Kevin, Melisa, and Jason. Joe began farming in 1953 in New Mexico, and opened a welding shop in Tucumcari, New Mexico in 1962. The family moved to Brock, Nebraska in 1966 and then to the Johnson, Nebraska area in 1968. Joe fabricated many projects in his welding shop, including gates, feeders, and ramps for several local churches. Joe was a well-known dowser who located many water and oil wells across the country. He was a member of the American Society of Dowsers, and was chosen their ?Dowser of the Year? in 2007. He also taught dowsing around the U. S. and in Canada. Joe was a member of the Kansas City and Mid-Rivers Chapters of the ASD. He loved to run his dozer, rebuild old Farmalls, run his sawmill, and make brass pendulums on his lathe, as well as making other dowsing tools and many wood projects. As a member of the United Methodist Church in Johnson, Joe served for many years as a trustee of the church. He was a 4-H Leader in New Mexico, and a charter member of the Ozark Research Institute. In addition to writing articles for area papers, he wrote and self-published a book titled ?My Life and Times as Harve Bodine?. Suffering from the effects of Lou Gehrig?s Disease, Joe moved with Marta to live with their son Jason in Seymour, Missouri. After battling the disease with the help of his family, Joe won his fight in Seymour on Saturday, August 14, 2010 at the age of 78 years, 5 months, and 19 days. He was preceded in death by his parents, sons Martin Kelly Smith and Kevin Mark Smith, daughter Melisa Jo McKnight, and granddaughters Tabitha DeBuhr and Kalynda J. McKnight. Joe is survived by his wife Marta of Johnson; son Jason and wife Terry Smith of Seymour, MO; grandchildren Joshua Smith, Jeremy Smith, Michelle Schrage, Ryan Smith, Keenan Smith, Cameron Jeannerett, Jason Konruff, Matthew Konruff and their families; 10 great-grandchildren; brother George Raymond Smith, Jr. and wife Alice of Roswell, NM; brother-in-law Landon Young of Miami, NM; nieces and nephews; other family members and many friends.