D. Dale Smith, 79, of De Soto died Sept. 26, 2021, at Mercy Hospital Jefferson in Crystal City. Mr. Smith worked at Fisher Body before retiring from the General Motors plant in Wentzville. He was the owner of Festus Music World and was an avid musician, writing, producing and performing music as part of the Messengers of Hope and the Smith Family Singers. Born July 15, 1942, in Dixon, he was the son of the late Yale and Bernice (Lawson) Smith.
He is survived by his wife: Lorna Fay (Raines) Smith of De Soto; three children: Alan (companion Jennifer) Smith Sr. of De Soto, Deborah (Wesley) Waller of Cadet and Tim (Amanda) Smith of De Soto; four siblings: Diane (Sonny) Wolf of St. Peters, Donna (Dan) Thornton of Arnold, Brenda (Bill) Walz of St. Peters and Jim Smith of Steelville; 14 grandchildren: Alan Smith Jr., Christina (Kevin) Giblin, Jacob (Josie) Young, James (Heather) Young, Hanna (T.J.) Robison, Aimee (Laramey) Tillman, Nathan Smith, Elizabeth Smith, Caleb Smith, Emily Smith, Luke Smith, Ethan Smith, Gideon Smith and Grace Smith; several great-grandchildren; and numerous other family members and friends.
He was preceded in death by a son: Delbert Ray (Kim survives of De Soto) Smith; three sisters: June Gray, Carol Smith and Karen Fife; and a brother: Harold Smith.
Visitation is scheduled from 10 a.m. until a funeral service at noon Friday, Oct. 1, at Dietrich-Mothershead Funeral Home, 220 N Main, in De Soto, officiated by the Rev. Carl McKalip. Burial is in the Woodlawn Cemetery in De Soto. Arrangements are under the direction of Dietrich-Mothershead Funeral Home.