SMITH, Raymond E

Raymond E. Smith, 76 of Grand Island, died Friday, January 23, 2004 at the Lincoln Heart Institute Hospital in Lincoln. Funeral services will be on Thursday at 2:00 P.M. at Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home. The Rev. Richard Karohl will officiate. Burial will be at the Westlawn Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be on Wednesday from 4:00 until 8:00 P.M. at the funeral home. Mr. Smith was born on July 20, 1927 in Winterset, Iowa to Karl and Marie (Evison) Smith. Survivors of the immediate family include one daughter and son-in-law, Sandra & Larry Holmes of Grand Island; four sons and a daughter-in law, Doug Smith of Grand Island, Dave & Darci Smith of Kearney, Dennis Smith of Ohio, and Mike Smith of Waterloo, Nebraska; one sister, Beverly Hildebrand of Walnut, Iowa; three brothers, Dwight Smith and Karl Smith of Des Moines, and Arthur Smith of Cedar Rapids, Nebraska. Additional survivors include 9 grandchildren, and 5 great-grandchildren. Mr. Smith received his education in Winterset, Iowa. After his education he worked as a farmer. He entered the U.S. Marines on June 14, 1945, and was honorably discharged on June 13,1949. He married Gretchen Brunken on April 21, 1949 in Hastings. Mr. Smith owned and operated Smith Radio and T.V. in Grand Island, and later owned and operated Grand Island Electronics. He retired in 1990. He was a member of Faith United Methodist Church, the Elks, V.F.W., and the American Legion. Mr. Smith was preceded in death by his wife in 2002; one grandson, one great-grandson, and one great granddaughter.