John Francis Smith, 70, of Balsam Lake, Wisconsin, died Aug. 19, 2025, after an ATV accident.
He was born on July 15, 1955, to Raymond Smith and Alice (Gay) Mesecher in Wichita, Kansas. As a child, John attended Osceola Elementary School and then graduated from Taylors Falls High School in 1974.
John worked a variety of jobs throughout his life, including working for the City of Taylors Falls, coaching Taylors Falls Little League, and working at Doboy Feed Mill, Jerome’s Foods, Peterson Construction, and lastly SMC where he retired on Dec. 31, 2024. Most important to John, he was a proud member of the National Guard. He had 25 years of military service and was deployed to be a part of Desert Storm as well as Operation Iraqi Freedom. During his military career, John received numerous Army achievements, commendations, and medals, including: Combat Infantryman Badge, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and Global War on Terrorism Medal. He was also a proud 128th Red Arrow member. In his free time, John was an active participant at the Fox Creek and Richardson’s Gun Clubs.
John was preceded in death by his parents, Raymond (Florence) Smith and Alice (Ercell) Mesecher; brother, Bill Smith; and sister, Cynn Marie Flodquist. He is survived by his siblings, Melvin (Sam) Smith, Jim (Laurel) Smith, Brenda Woodard, Michelle Mesecher, and Ercell Mesecher; sisters-in-law, Angie Smith, Sam Smith, and Laurel Smith; and many other loving family and friends.
A Celebration of Life will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 3, at the Williamson-White Funeral Home in Amery, Wisconsin. There will be a burial with Military Honors at the Northern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Spooner, Wisconsin, on Thursday, Sept. 4 at 1 p.m.
To sign an online guestbook, please visit williamsonwhite.com. Arrangements were made with the Williamson-White Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Amery.
