Patrick A. Smith, 59, Watertown, SD, died August 19, 2011, at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD, after a valiant battle with cancer. 

Funeral services will be Wednesday, August 24, 2011, at 10:30am at Holy Name Catholic Church at Watertown, SD, with Father Lantsberger and Father O’Dell officiating. 

Burial will be at the Mount Hope Cemetery at Watertown.  Honorary pallbearers will be members & retirees of Watertown Fire Rescue, members & retirees of Codington County Search and Rescue team and members & retirees of Watertown Police Reserve and SWAT team.  Active pallbearers will be Chuck Smith, Lyle D. Nepodal, Gerald Nepodal, Herman Turnis, Jim Jaton and Ron Souter.

Visitation will be at the Crawford Funeral Chapel at Watertown on Tuesday, August 23, 2011, from 4-7pm.  Meditative Rosary will be held at 7pm following visitation.

Pat was born in Miles City, Montana.  He spent the majority of his early years in southeastern Kansas.  He graduated from Altoona-Midway High School at Buffalo, KS, in 1970.  In 1973, Pat moved to South Dakota.  He served in various jobs and became a member of the Kimball, SD, volunteer Fire Department and Ambulance Service, 1977-78, where he earned his initial EMT license.

Pat married Wanda Nepodal on October 4, 1980 and they resided their entire married life in Watertown.  He was a proud father of his two sons, Daniel and Matthew.  Pat joined Watertown Fire Rescue on August 12, 1979.  Pat rose through the ranks at the Fire Department and was the Assistant Fire Chief and paramedic at the time of his death.  Pat’s public service spread beyond the Fire Rescue Squad.  Pat was in the Watertown Police Reserve and was a SWAT team member.  He was a member of the Codington County Search and Rescue Team where he served as a rescue diver.   In his duties with the Watertown Civil Air Patrol he was qualified as a search and rescue pilot and served as Commander from 1992-1997.

As a member of Holy Name Catholic Church, he was actively involved with Bible studies and fundraising committees.  Pat was an avid outdoorsman.  He enjoyed hunting and fishing with friends and particularly his sons.  Pat enjoyed target practice at the Lake Area Pistol & Rifle Club.  In the August of 1989, Pat was one of nine shooters to represent South Dakota in the National Rifle Matches held at Camp Perry, Ohio.  In 2004 he was named to the “Governor’s Twenty” in which Pat competitively ranked 7^th among the top police combat shooters in SD.  Pat also enjoyed riding motorcycles, scuba diving, and flying airplanes.  For many years he held a private pilot’s license.  In his early years he also was an accomplished equestrian/cowboy and competed in rodeos.  He made good times as an excellent “healer” in team roping.

Pat’s public service allowed him to touch many lives as a paramedic and Assistant Fire Chief.  His reserved bravery served him well in his short battle with cancer.  He will have a wonderful retirement in heaven.

Pat is preceded in death by his father, Major Smith.  Survivors include his wife, Wanda of Watertown, SD; two sons,  Daniel and Matthew both of Sioux Falls, SD; mother, Rosemary (Smith) Ashford and step-father, Fred Ashford of Cimarron, KS; brothers, Mike (Sharrill) Smith, of Plains, MT, Chuck (Sharon) Smith of Perry, KS; sisters, Mary Sue (Russ) Walker of Altoona, KS, Barb (Butch) McPhail of Cimarron, KS, Jane (Jack) Pfannenstiel of Dodge City, KS; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorial gifts may be given to the American Cancer Society or CaringBridge.org.