Leland N. Smith, age 89, passed away October 11, 2019 at Great Plains Health, in North Platte, Nebraska.

He was born to Theodore and Mildred (Hanchett) Smith-Elling in Rural Selden, Kansas on July 7, 1930. He was raised in rural Selden and Oberlin. Leland attended elementary school at Belleview Rural School and graduated from Decatur Community High School with the class of 1949. After graduation, he served his country by entering the United States Air Force during the Korean War. On August 31, 1952, he married Eloise Anderson at the Lund Covenant Church, Dresden, Kansas. Leland and Eloise celebrated 67 years of marriage. They raised two children, Marie and Wesley. Leland worked as a carpenter and helped build several houses in the Oberlin area. Leland and his son built the house where the family lives. Leland became a farmer and rancher and worked at it the rest of his life. He was a member of the Oberlin Covenant Church, American Legion Post #70, and Oberlin Country Club.

Leland and his family lived in rural Decatur County and in Oberlin. Leland loved to farm, and he wanted his children to learn the value of hard work. Besides work, Leland’s passion included bowling and golf. In 1984, Leland had open heart surgery to repair two valves. Leland’s surgeon told him if he survived ten years, he would invite him to play golf at Cherry Hills Country Club. Leland surprised his surgeon by surviving another 35 years.

Leland is survived by his wife Eloise of Oberlin; daughter, Marie Stapleton and her husband, John of Aurora, Colorado; son, Wesley Smith of Oberlin; grandchildren, Brian Smith, Lisa Johnson, and her husband Gary, and Jason Warren, and great grand-daughter, Nichole Warren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Theodore Smith and Mildred Smith-Elling; brother, Clayton Smith; sisters, Melba Hartley, Theodora May Reber, and her husband Johnny; sister-in-law, Phyllis Klich and her husband Jim Klich.

A Funeral Service is planned for Tuesday, October 15, 2019 at Pauls Funeral Home, Oberlin, Kansas at 2:30 P.M. Visitation will be from 1:00 P.M. until 2:30 P.M. Tuesday, October 15, 2019 at Pauls Funeral Home prior to the service. The family will greet friends from 1:00 P.M. until service time. Online condolences may be left at www.paulsfh.com . Memorials may be sent to Paul’s Funeral Home in Oberlin, Kansas.

He would ask you to remember him with good memories and swinging his golf club.