A few years back a newscaster published a book about those who came of age during the Great Depression,and fought in the Second World War or worked selflessly at home during the conflict. They did what they did because it was the right thing to do. That generation, born roughly during the first quarter of the 20th century, are passing now, and the youngest of them still living are in their nineties.
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| Congressman Neal Smith |
Not long ago, one of the greatest of that generation died at 101 years old. Neal Smith was his name, and he was born and lived his life here in Iowa. He worked farming and running a gas station before the war. During the war he fought in the Pacific Theater as a bomber pilot, where he was shot down and earned a Purple Hear. After the war he attended college, then law school, and eventually ran for the House of Representatives. Although he disliked Washington he often said he kept returning because that was where there was work to be done. In the end he served 36 years in Congress, longer than anyone from Iowa ever had. Neal Smith was soft-spoken, humble, and dedicated to public service. In recognition of his contribution to the nation and his state he was honored many times while he still lived. The Federal Building in Des Moines bears his name, and so does an enormous nature preserve in the central part of the state, among others.
I was privileged to know him as a fellow member of a local service club, which he attended almost without fail until reaching nearly 100. The pandemic prevented his attending during the last year or so of life, but before that he was a fixture at meetings, where it was my privilege to spend time discussing all sorts of issues and ideas with him. Even at his advanced age, Neal was keenly interested in national and state politics, social trends, and new ideas. We will miss his gentle smile and quiet wisdom. Truly he was an eminent person in the Greatest Generation.
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