- Date Of Birth: October 9, 1922
- Date Of Death: November 12, 2022
- State: Idaho
Samuel H. Smyser, born October 9, 1922, to Sarah Newman Smyser and Orville Franklin Smyser in Caldwell, Idaho, passed away at his son and daughter-in-law’s home on November 12, 2022, at the age of 100.
At the beginning of Sam’s life, he lived in Middleton, Idaho with his parents and brother, Doiel. When Sam was six months old the family moved to Smith’s Prairie where they ran cattle for 6 years. They bought their first 80-acre farm just outside of Parma in 1928. They lived in the original farmhouse built in 1889. Sam and his dad farmed and operated a dairy together until Orville passed away in 1967. They had transitioned from a dairy to a cattle operation by then. In addition to the cattle, Sam farmed a variety of row crops, including corn, sugar beets, grain, and alfalfa.
Sam married Mildred Skelton Smyser and had two children from that union—Melodie Ann Blower and Charles A. “Skip” Smyser. They resided in Roswell. Sam later married Lois Hollingsworth, and they were married for 41 years. The couple made their home between Parma and Notus.
All throughout Sam’s life he loved sports. In high school, he not only excelled at basketball, tennis, and football but also served as student body president of Parma High School. He continued to play competitive tennis and town team basketball well into his adult life.
In addition to his enjoyment of sports, he loved politics. An active Republican his entire life he served as state chairman of the Idaho Young Republicans. He was involved in many campaigns and would have congressional and statewide candidates stay at the family home while they were campaigning in Canyon County. He was proud to have gone to the polls and voted the day before his stroke and heart attack that led to his death.
Sam is survived by his daughter Melodie Ann Blower and her children Robert D. Blower II, Michael C. Blower and his wife, Tiffany, Marci Blower, and two great grandchildren Catherine and Caroline Blower, all of Stockton, California.
Sam is also survived by his son, C.A. “Skip” Smyser and his wife Melinda Sloviaczek Smyser of Roswell. Their children Lincoln W. Smyser, Logan Smyser-Griffin and her husband, Joe, Landon Samuel Smyser, Lauren Ballenger, and her husband, Matt, and great grandchildren Harper and Hudson Smyser, all of Boise.
Sam was preceded in death by his parents Orville and Sarah, Lois Smyser, his wife, his brother Doiel Smyser, and sister-in-law, Margaret Boone Smyser.
Throughout the years, Sam had a very wide range of friends in politics, sale yards, and coffee shops. These friends declared Sam’s nickname “Stompin’ Sam the Cattleman” and he lived up to it until his dying day. As Sam always said, “See you down the line!”
