Russell ‘Russ’ Smith

Russell “Russ” Smith, 83 of Cedar Falls, Iowa passed away Monday, Feb. 10, 2025, at Cedar Valley Hospice Home in Waterloo, Iowa. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.  Memorials may be directed to the Iowa Woodland Owners Association, of which Russ was a member, or to the Cedar Valley Hospice Waterloo service area.

Russ, the son of Clyde and Grace (Groen) Smith, was born on the family farm south of Ventura, Iowa on March 7, 1941. He spent his adolescence years on the farm and graduated from Ventura High School. Russ then attended college, graduating from Iowa State University with a BS in Chemical Engineering.

Russ was united in marriage to Roberta La Pierre in Duluth, Minnesota on March 20, 1965.

Russ worked 4 years for General Mills in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Kenedy, Texas before returning to Iowa to work for Salsbury Laboratories in Charles City. He worked at the same facility for 35 years and through three company ownership changes in various staff and management positions. He retired in 2003 as Vice President and Site Manager for the Cambrex Charles City plant.

Following retirement Russ bought a timber farm in northeast Iowa. He built a cabin where his extended family can spend time enjoying the recreational activities and beauty that a wooded property offers. His favorite times and joy were family get-togethers and hunting and fishing with his wife, sons, and grandkids. Having made annual fishing trips to Red Lake, Ontario for over fifty years, he had a lot of good memories and a large collection of lures that didn’t meet expectations.

Russ is survived by his wife, sons Bradley (Sarah) of Cedar Falls and Ryan (Susan) of Muscatine; four grandchildren Ethan of Cedar Falls, Elly of Eugene, Oregon, Clayton and Mason of Muscatine.

Russ is preceded in death by his parents; sisters Francis Rabe and Vivian McCraken; brothers Kenneth, Donald, Virgil, and Michael.

Iowa Cremation is in charge of arrangements.