Calvin Dennis Smith

Calvin Dennis Smith

Born: Sun., Aug. 4, 1946

Died: Fri., May 15, 2015

Visitation

4:00 PM Sun., May 17, 2015

Location: Veterans Memorial Building

Funeral Service

2:00 PM Tue., May 19, 2015

Location: Veterans Memorial Building

Calvin Dennis Smith, 68, "Maingun" which means "Wolf", of Bemidji passed away at home after his determined 14 year battle with cancer, on May 15, 2015, with his family by his side. He was born in Cass Lake, Minnesota on August 4, 1946, the son of Francis Sr. and Nancy (Blakely) Smith.

Calvin was born and lived most of his early life in Cass Lake. He moved with his family to Chicago in his early teenage years and lived there for just over 20 years. While living in Chicago, he attended the Chicago School of Cosmetology in the early 60's. Calvin, also lived and worked in California for a short time in the late 60's. He returned home to the Cass Lake area in 1979. Calvin loved his Motown and 60's music. He had an extensive Motown album collection that he played often on his record player. Calvin loved to dance and often did with his nieces, especially to the Supremes. Calvin was a "techie", loved to tinker with and could fix any kind of electronics back to working order. Calvin believed that "you need to be who you are", and he was just that.

Calvin is reunited with his parents, Francis Sr. and Nancy, brothers; Francis Boy Smith, Jr., Leroy Geewis Smith and Melvin Smith, sisters; Ruby O'Connor, Phyllis Calderone and Jeanette Brown, numerous uncles, aunties, nieces, nephews and cousins.

He leaves behind his nieces; Kim, Yolanda, Pam, Alice, Melissa, Nancy, Lucinda, Melanie, Jennifer, Sun, Robyn and Terri Jo, nephews; Terry, Stacy, J.R. and Allen, many great nieces and nephews and other relatives.

A wake for Calvin will begin at 4:00 p.m., Sunday, May 17th and continue until his 2:00 p.m. service on Tuesday, May 19th all being held at the Veterans Memorial Building in Cass Lake. Reverend Mark R. Olson will officiate. Calvin's pallbearers will be Terry O'Connor, Stacy Smith, Jim Oxford, Sr., Nigel Smith, Ed St. John and Jay Martin. His honorary pallbearers are Deb Beckstrand, Georgia Christiansen, Shelly Fear, Don Finney, Darlene Prickett and all of his nieces and nephews. Inurnment will be in the Oak Point Cemetery at Oak Point at a later date.

Calvin's care has been entrusted to Northern Peace Funeral Home in Walker. On-line condolences may be left for the family at http://www.northernpeace.com