Cyrus James Smelcer, of Rolla, formerly of O'Fallon, Swedeborg, Florissant, and Crocker, was born May 14, 1926, at Crocker, a son of Grover Cleveland and Marcia Viola (Stokes) Smelcer, and departed this life on Christmas Day, December 25, 2012, at Rolla. Mr. Smelcer had attained the age of 86 years, 7 months, and 11 days.

Cyrus grew up in and around Crocker, graduating from Crocker High School in 1944, and was a veteran of World War II, serving as a US Army Staff Sergeant in the Philippines during and after the end of the war. On November 1, 1947, Cyrus was united in marriage to Bonnie Lucille (Wall) Smelcer of Swedeborg, who survives of the home in Rolla. To this union, four children were born, all of whom survive him. They are James Ray and wife, Deborah, of Warrenton; Bonita Gail (Smelcer) Burd and husband, Randal, of Rolla; Michael Steven and wife, Ruth Ann, of Tarpon Springs, Florida, and Eric Lynn and wife, Valerie, of St. Charles. Cyrus is also survived by one sister, Rosalie (Smelcer) Cross, of Linn; 14 grandchildren; numerous great grandchildren; nephews and nieces.

After leaving the Army, Cyrus moved to Florissant, Missouri, and shortly thereafter worked for Ford Motor Company. He worked for Ford his entire career before retiring to his farm near Swedeborg in 1979. He lived on the farm for many years, until in their advanced age, he and his wife moved closer to their children. Cyrus loved the farm and never forgot his Pulaski County roots.

The Smelcer family lived in Pulaski County, Missouri, for several generations. Cyrus's father, Grover Cleveland Smelcer, was the son of James Benjamin and Sarah Elizabeth (McMillian) Smelcer, who owned a farm in Hancock, Missouri, since the beginning of the 20th century. In 1918, Grover built the current house on this farm, and this farm remained in the Smelcer family until the early 1990s. James Benjamin Smelcer was the second of three children born to Pleasant Smelcer and Hester Coil, who also owned a farm in the Hancock area. Pleasant served in Company E, 4th Missouri Cavalry, CSA, during the Civil War. Incidentally, another of Cyrus's great grandfathers, James H. McMillian, also lived in the Hancock area and served as 1st Lieutenant for Company E of the Osage County Home Guards, USA, during the Civil War. The likely father of Pleasant, Philemon Smelcer, and Pleasant's probable grandparents, John and Catherine (Higgins) Smelcer, appear in the 1840 Federal Census as Pulaski County residents.

Cyrus will be remembered for his warm personality, his quick wit, his wry sense of humor, his passion for reading (Westerns especially), but most of all, for the love shared with his large family, all of whom will miss him very much.

Cyrus was a baptized believer in the Christian faith.

Funeral services will be held at 12 Noon, Friday, December 28, 2012, in the Long-Kloeppel Funeral Chapel, Crocker. Interment with military honors in the Crocker Cemetery.Visitation will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 12 noon, Friday, December 28, 2012, in the Long-Kloeppel Funeral Chapel, Crocker.