Leslie John Smeller

Leslie John Smeller, 82, of Creston, passed away peacefully at his home on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019 after a period of declining health as a result of Parkinson’s Disease.

Les was born July 27, 1937 in Ashland to the late Louis and Barbara (Johanyak)  Smeller and was a 1955 graduate of Norwayne High School.  He attended Ohio State University and the University of Kentucky where he majored in Agricultural Accounting and Economics.  He served in the U.S. Army from 1960 – 1962 and on June 1, 1968 married the former Elizabeth Jane Gill who survives.   He had been a lifetime farmer and over the years Les owned and operated a hardwood lumber company known as  Canaan Wood Products and had been a Landman who leased land for oil and gas drilling and handled pipeline rite of ways and settled damage claims.  Les served as a Canaan Township Trustee, was Past President and Treasurer for the Norwayne Athletic Boosters and was a 4-H advisor and served on the steer committee for the Wayne County Junior Fair.  He coached for 10 years for the Creston Girls Softball program and had helped cook the beef for the Annual Creston Ox Roast.

Les is survived by his wife, Jane; son and daughter-in-law, David and Dusty Smeller of Alexandria, OH; daughter, Julie Sampsel of Creston; his three grandchildren, Morgan Sampsel, Tyler Sampsel and Emily Smeller; sister,  Judy (Blaine) Davisson of Dalton; brothers, Robert (Maria) Smeller of Hickory, NC and Steve (Kyra) Smeller of Florida and nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother, Thomas and a sister, Kathy.

Services will be Thursday, Oct. 3rd at 2:00 p.m. at Murray Funeral Home in Creston where friends may call from 12:00 noon until time of services.  Burial will be in Canaan Cemetery.  Tributes may be made shared at www.Murray-Funera-Home.com  Memorial contributions may be made to Ohio’s Hospice LifeCare, 1900 Akron Rd., Wooster, OH 44691 or to Canaan Township Fire and Rescue, PO Box, 2223, Creston, OH 44217.

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