Roger Smith

Roger Smith, 52, of Perham, MN passed away peacefully with his family at his bedside at Sanford Medical Center in Fargo, ND on Tuesday, April 30, 2024.

Roger Thomas Smith was born July 5, 1971, in Ukiah, CA to Jimmy and Betty (Brackett) Smith. He grew up in Potter Valley, CA and attended school through the 11th grade. Roger had his first daughter Stacy in 1992 with his previous partner. He met the love of his life Elizabeth Morrow and fell in love quickly and had their first-born son Nathaniel Thomas in April of 1996. They had a short engagement and were wed in South Lake Tahoe, CA on August 16, 1997. They welcomed four more children in the years to follow. Roger worked an abundance of jobs including Davey Tree, motorcycle/car mechanic, construction, custodian, dietary manager, and spent many years cooking for a variety of restaurants. He loved taking his kids to the redwoods and showing them Bigfoot's house within the big trees halfway to the coast. Roger enjoyed going on long drives to the coast, fishing, bike rides, flying kites with his grandkids, and watching a lot of good shows, but his heart was home with his kids and his grandchildren. In 2010 he and Elizabeth made the biggest decision of their lives and uprooted everything and moved their kids to Barnesville, MN where they began rebuilding their lives for their kids. This is where he began work as a groundskeeper for an HOA and started work as a dietary manager for Clayco Care Center. In 2015 they moved to the country near Underwood, MN where he had a variety of animals including goats, pigs, chickens, cats, and his dog Bella. After a few years he needed to be in town again, so they moved to Perham. He truly loved Perham and he spent his days working as a cashier for Perham One Stop, going to the PACC, and watching the Vikings with his sons Nate and Nick. He was a people person and there wasn't a single person he came across that he didn't want to make smile. He was a jokester and a good-hearted person through and through. His love for his family was unconditional and his biggest joy was seeing his grandchildren.

Roger was preceded in death by his mother Betty Henson; his father Jimmy Smith; his grandparents on both sides; his half-brother Brian; his granddaughter Rilynn Ann; and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Surviving Roger are his wife of 29 years, Elizabeth Smith of Perham; his sons Nathaniel (Katy) Smith of Perham and Nicholas (Kristina) Smith of Ottertail, MN; his daughters Kelsey (George) Smith of Ottertail, Kaylee (Ethan) Smith of Perham, Kiara Smith of Perham, and Stacy Smith of Clearlake, CA; his adopted at heart sons Brandon Harne of Fargo and Jody Hayden of Wheaton, MN; his eight grandchildren who he adored immensely including Kinley, Rachel, Mason, Westyn, Aurora, Logan, Kennedy, and his name sake Dylan Roger Smith; and all of his siblings, nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Schoeneberger Funeral & Cremation Service, Perham, MN (218) 346-5175 www.schoenebergerfh.com