SMITH, Fred K.

The Daily Courier, Prescott, Arizona, Tuesday, October 30, 2012 Fred K. Smith, 74, of Prescott, Ariz., passed away Oct. 17, 2012, at his home. He was born May 5, 1938, in Pipestone, Minn., to Fred and Myrtle Smith. He graduated from Pipestone High School in 1956, and went to college for two years in South Dakota. He graduated from Sam Houston State College in Huntsville, Texas. His first newspaper job was in Galveston, Texas, at the Galveston Daily. He worked at the San Angelo Standard Times in San Angelo, Texas, for two years. He was an editor at the Omaha World Herald from 1964 to 1970. He married Sheila Fechter in 1969 in Spirit Lake, Iowa. Fred loved to play golf so we moved to Phoenix, Ariz., in late 1970. He went to work for the Arizona Republic where he was Sunday editor and state editor. In 1981, we discovered Prescott and moved here full time in 1983. Fred still worked for the Arizona Republic, but I'm sure he was the only reporter with his office in the back of a bar on Whiskey Row. In 1990, the Arizona Republic sent him to Show Low, Ariz., to cover northeastern Arizona. In 1992, we returned to Prescott, and he commuted to Phoenix until he retired in 1993. Fred was not ready for retirement, and he was lucky enough to get a job running the Yavapai County Law Library from 1993 to 2001. For his third career, he worked for attorney, David L. Lange, doing legal research. He retired in 2012. Fred loved his family, golf, Arizona and his friends. His goal was to drive his truck on every dirt road in the state and he almost made it. He loved exploring the desert and the forest. He is survived by his wife, Sheila; son, Fred K. Smith III of Pearland, Texas; four grandchildren, Cameron and Jared Smith of Pearland, Texas, and Dillon and Mara Smith of Prescott, Ariz.; brother, Willis G. Smith of Spirit Lake, Iowa; and nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and his daughter, Courtney Smith. There will be a memorial to celebrate and remember Fred from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 10, 2012, at the Prescott Frontier Rodeo Grounds. Hampton Funeral Home assisted the family.