September 2, 2015

Richard Neal Smith, 63, went home to be with the Lord Aug. 30, 2015, at his home surrounded by his loving family.
Richard was born Feb. 25, 1952, to Roy Jr., and Marianna Sutterby Smith in Fort Scott, Kan. He graduated from Blue Mound High School in 1970 and then furthered his education with a Mechanical Engineering degree from Kansas University.
Richard met the love of his life on a double date in high school and married Susan (Rogers) Jan. 13, 1973. Richard and Susan were blessed with three children, their spouses and five grandchildren, Samuel Smith, his wife, Jennifer, and their son, Cooper, of Shawnee, Kan.; Ted Smith, his wife, Allison, and their children, Avery and Natalie, of Belton, Texas; and Lattica Smith Foster, her husband, Daniel, and their children, Tanner and Hayden, of the Netherlands. Richard is also survived by his mother-in-law, Eleanor Rogers, of Mapleton, Kan.; two brothers, Phillip of Paola, Kan., and Stan and his wife, Frankie, of La Harpe, Kan.; and his sister, Jennifer Smith Hughes, and her husband, Mike, of Blue Mound, Kan.
Richard was preceded in death by his parents.
He worked for Spectra Energy and its predecessors for 40 years. Richard became a Master Mason in 1974, a member of The Scottish Rite in Fort Scott, Kan., and a member of Abdallah Shrine in Overland Park, Kan. He was also a Past Patron of Union #15 Order of the Eastern Star in Ottawa, Kan., and a Past Patron and active member in Tomball Chapter #838 Order of the Eastern Star and Tomball Lodge #1096. He was also a longtime member of Cypresswood Free Methodist Church of Spring, Texas.
He enjoyed wood working, computers, habitat projects and fun times with his family and colleagues.
Richard and Susan moved to Belton, Texas, in 2014 to be closer to family, his pride and joy!
Richard fought a brave battle with cancer. His love of life, encouraging and positive attitude and heartwarming smiles will always be with us.
A funeral service to celebrate his life will be held Friday, Sept. 4, 2015, at 10 a.m. at Klein Funeral Home in Tomball, Texas, with The Order of the Eastern Star and Masonic Lodge services. Kevin Niemann will officiate. The family will receive friends and family from 9-10 a.m. prior to the service. Burial services will be in Mapleton, Kan., at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be made to https://gifts.mdanderson.org for Epithelioid Hemangioendothelioma (EHE) cancer research or https://rebuildhouston.org.