BY ED FELIEN
Lloyd Smith delivered Southside Pride from its beginning 23 years ago. He died Friday, Aug. 29, 2014. He was a wonderful character—a thoroughly delightful reactionary. We would argue politics almost every week, but he was always charming and funny (in a Rush Limbaugh kind of way). One day he came into my office particularly upset about something the Democrats had done in Congress and he said, “I’ll bet you $50 I can beat you at Tic Tac Toe, and I’ll even let you go first.” I thought, “I’m pretty good at Tic Tac Toe,” so I agreed to play. I drew the grid and put my X in the middle square. He then drew three circles in one of the files, drew a line through it, and said, “There, just like the Democrats, I changed the rules halfway through.” He never insisted on collecting the debt.
BY ELAINE KLAASSEN
My contact with Lloyd over the years was to report people’s complaints about delivery. There were two categories: people who wanted the paper and didn’t get it, and people who got the paper and didn’t want it. He never complained about the complaints and always said he would take care of it. He did his best.
He started going through chemo for two different types of cancer in the middle of winter. Toward the end he said he was feeling good, actually not feeling sick. He said he had lost a lot of weight but didn’t recommend cancer as a weight-loss program. He, and his wife, too, exuded a most hearty and buoyant good cheer. I will miss him.
BY DAVID GOLDSTEIN
Lloyd Smith was Southside Pride’s lifeline for 23 terrific years. He made sure our papers were delivered to 42,000 households each month, regardless of the weather. The Postman had nothing on Lloyd. His work ethic , composure under stress and his jovial nature are traits I will always remember and strive to replicate in my daily life. Rest easy North Dakota Kid.
