Dr. Quentin Clark Smith, 92, of Poplar Bluff, Missouri, formerly of Rothville and Brookfield, Missouri passed away Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022, at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. Quentin was born Feb. 25, 1929, in Jamesport, Missouri to Warren and Avelon (Clark) Smith. He married Emily Thiele on May 23, 1959, in Rothville. She preceded him in death in 2013.
Quentin attended high school at Chillicothe, Missouri. He attended several universities, including Harvard. He obtained his Master of Arts in Mathematics in 1962 from University of Missouri at Kansas City. He obtained his Doctor of Philosophy in Education in 1967 from UMKC. He taught mathematics at Kirksville State Teachers College in the late 1950s. He taught at Rockhurst College in Kansas City from 1960 to 1967. He taught mathematics at California Westin University in San Diego, California from 1968 to 1972. He was declared legally blind in 1972 and retired from teaching.
Quentin and Emily moved to Rothville in 1972 and resided there to 2000. Quentin was mayor of Rothville from 1973 to 1977. During his tenure, he was instrumental in helping Rothville celebrate its bicentennial and he helped develop a city park. He and Emily attended several churches of Christ, the most recent two Purdin Church of Christ in Purdin, Missouri and Highland Church of Christ in Poplar Bluff.
He and Emily loved to travel taking several trips to California, one to Nova Scotia and two trips to England.
Quentin is survived by a stepdaughter, Carolyn (John) Henry of Yakima, Washington; stepson, Lonny Thiele (Pauline) of Poplar Bluff; stepdaughter-in-law, Shirley Thiele of Raymore, Missouri; two nephews, Clay (Reba) Smith of Evans, Colorado and Chris Smith of Portland, Oregon; two nieces, Robin (Kelly) Carter of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and Penny (Bob) Monroe of Sussex, Wisconsin; three step-grandsons, Chris (Kim) Thiele, of Kansas City, Missouri, Wayne (Jaqui) Coulter of Modesto, California and Quentin Coulter of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; six step-granddaughters, Tammi Bryant of Belton, Missouri, Kelly (Matt) Robb and Kim (Terry) Smith, both of Kansas City, Missouri, Megan Thiele of Santa Cruz, California, Sheila Thiele of Los Angeles, California, Kerri (Jeffrey) Dillinger of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; two special friends, Mary Alice Carpenter of Mendon, Missouri and Julie Huggins of Williamsville, Missouri; and many other relatives and friends. He was also preceded in death by a stepson, Gary Thiele; and brother, Jack (Teresa) Smith.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022, at Delaney Funeral Home in Marceline with visitation starting at 10 a.m. Burial will be in the Rothville Cemetery, Rothville, Missouri. A visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 6, at the Highland Drive Church of Christ in Poplar Bluff. Memorials may be made to the Rothville Cemetery and mailed to 1720 N. Missouri Ave., Marceline, MO 64658.