June 22, 1942 - June 2, 2025 Dean “Leroy” Smelker

Dean “Leroy” Smelker, 82, passed from this life on June 2, 2025 at his home. Memorial services will be held Saturday, June 7,2025 at 10:30 a.m. at the Solt~Wagner Community Room in Central City, Nebraska with Pastor Doug McHargue officiating. Burial of ashes will be in the Lindale Cemetery at a later date. The family requests casual golf attire at Leroy’s Memorial Service.

Memorials to the family for later designation and condolences can be sent to the family at www. soltwagnerfuneral.com.

Leroy was born at Vona, Colorado on June 22, 1942 to Dean M. and Anna Belle (Winters) Smelker. He grew up in Cheyenne Wells, Colorado and attended Cheyenne Wells High School. He was very athletic and played many sports. His love was baseball and softball and later bowling and golf. He learned to play pool at an early age and continued to play for most of his life. Leroy was also a member of the Central City Eagles Club and the Legion Post 6.

After graduating from High School, he enlisted in the Air Force and was an Air Policeman. He married Karen Ake and to this union a daughter and son were born, Lauraina and Aaron. After being discharged from the Air Force, he moved to South Carolina and married Sandy Bose, they had a son Johnny. He returned to Colorado and married Linda Yoder and had a daughter Connie. While working in insurance sales, he met the love of his life Leigh Ann Gustafson. They married on February 13, 1971 and had William “Bill” and Carissa. Thru DNA Testing, Leroy discovered a son Anthony Johnson and a daughter, Shelly Higby-Knox. His greatest joy was spending time with his wife and family and talking with Jesus.

He is survived by his wife, Leigh Ann, sons, William “Bill” (Jocelyn) Smelker of Central City, Aaron (Brenda) Kreuger of Woodland Park, CO, Johnny (Stacey) Bose of Hanahan, SC, Anthony (Cindy) Johnson of Haughton, LA. Daughters, Carissa (John) Todd of Polk, Connie Cloud of Grand Island, Lauraina (Bob) Shaw of Pekin, IL, Shelly (Ray) Knox of Pueblo, CO. Sister, Ruth (Steve) Parish. Special Cousin, Priscilla. 27 grandchildren and 31 great-grandchildren and many special friends and family.

Proceded in death by his parents, brother and wife, Delmer (June) Smelker, sister, Cheryl Fearnot, grandchildren, Dwight Tuma and Skyler Smelker and infant Elijah Monday, parents-in-law Roger and Shirley Gustafson, sister-in-law, Linda (Don) Wandfluh, brother-in-law, Stephen Gustafson.