Stephen Lowell Smith

Born in Missoula, Montana in 1941, Stephen (Stevedore) Lowell Smith was raised on North Avenue East and later Evans Avenue. He grew up exploring the neighborhoods around Bonner Park and establishments along Higgins Avenue. As a young, curious boy, Steve wandered to Missoula's Hale Field gaining early exposure to the aircrafts and pilots that would inspire his life's work. He graduated from Missoula County Public Schools in 1959 and joined the Navy at age 18 where he served as a machinist's mate aboard the aircraft carrier Midway. Steve earned a bachelor's degree in journalism in 1965 from the University of Montana and later received a master's degree, also in journalism, from UM. He was a reporter-photographer for the Bellingham, Washington Herald and was assistant professor of journalism at the University of Alaska and the University of Montana in the late 1960s and early 70s. Following travels in Europe, he became news director, business editor, regional editor and city editor of the Missoulian. He resigned the latter post in June 1978 to become a general assignment reporter, feature writer and columnist. His journalism career at the Missoulian spanned over 20 years. During those years, Steve researched and wrote Fly the Biggest Piece Back, documenting the history and lives of Bob Johnson and Johnson Flying Service. He was commissioned to write books on H. O. Bell, the Oxford, Daily's Bacon, and Beach Transportation. Steve's master's thesis on famed western writer and Missoula resident, Dorothy Johnson, titled The Years and the Wind and the Rain, was published in 1984. A collection of his columns and writings for the Missoulian, was published as "Out Among 'em" in 1991. Steve drove motor coaches and school buses and retired after a 30 year career safely driving Missoula kids to school and on fieldtrips. In this capacity, he sincerely engaged and befriended many youngsters and encouraged them in their pursuits and adventures. A lifelong lover of motorcycles and airplanes, he cruised the highways and backroads of the west on his Yamaha "Big Medicine" and gazed upon the valleys and peaks of the Missions, soaring in his ultralight aircraft. In his last decade, Steve wrote and compiled an homage to Flathead Lake to share stories about a place he is passionate about. Steve pursued significant additional research to tell the deeper stories of other mountain pilots. His diligence and work resulted in his magnum opus writing, the unofficial "Bible" of mountain flying. As a nearly blind man, he continued to exercise his young mind and spirit by learning the stories of friends and humanity around the world through good conversations, quality radio news reporting and interesting audio books. Steve lived with his daughter in the Rattlesnake Valley for the last 18 months of his life and passed peacefully at home with his children holding his hands and wishing him well on his next big adventure. He had a strong faith and looked forward to being reunited with his parents, Ben and Marie, his sister Sandi and all of his extended family and friends who passed before him. Steve is survived by his beloved children and grandchildren, Erin Smith (Dylan and Evan Yonce), Megan Sturm (Jeremy, Merissa and Samantha), Conor Smith (Carragh, Cormick, and Camden), his sisters Linda Wlaysewski (Polson, MT), Sr. Sharon Smith (Leavenworth, KS) and cherished nieces, nephews, and cousins and their families. His most valued currency was his family, friends and community. He was a wealthy man in those regards and reaped the rewards of his investments. A celebration of Steve's rich and adventurous life will be held at the Bonner Park band shelter, Sunday, May 7 at 1pm. Interment at the Veterans cemetery in Missoula will take place in a private ceremony.