Service: 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, in Calvary Baptist Church. Visitation: One hour prior to service, Thursday, church.

BURLINGTON, Iowa — Arthur Rufus Smith, 81, Burlington, died Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009, at Great River Medical Center, West Burlington.

 The Rev. Dean Graber will officiate.

Interment will be at Aspen Grove Cemetery.  The Burlington area veterans honor guard will conduct military rites. 

A memorial has been established. 

Mr. Smith was born Dec. 29, 1927, in Whitfield, Ala.,  the son of Luther and Sadie Lewis Smith.  He married Mildred Caston Nov. 3, 1949, in Greenville, Miss.

He was an Army veteran.  He was self-employed, selling used cars and fixing up homes. 

He was a member of Calvary Baptist Church.  He enjoyed working and walking outdoors.

Survivors include his wife, Mildred Smith of Burlington; two sons, Steve Smith and wife, Julie of Lancaster, N. Y. and David Smith and wife, Candy of Dallas, Texas; a daughter, Judy Crile and husband, Steve of Muscatine; seven grandchildren and a sister, Elsie White of Florida.

He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers.