MacDonald "Mac" Smith

Robert MacDonald (“Mac”) Smith, 72, of Sioux City, Iowa, passed away on February 3, 2021, after suffering a cardiac arrest, with his family by his side. Private family services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 9, 2021. For those wishing to watch Mac’s service remotely, the live stream can be found at the following link: https://holycrosssc.org/robert-mac-smith-funeral. Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be directed to www.meyerbroschapels.com.

Mac was born February 23, 1948, the second of three sons born to the late Harry H. and Anne I. Smith.  Mac was the quintessential middle child, keeping his brothers in line, and serving as the constant, reliable caretaker of his family.

A lifelong resident of Sioux City, Mac graduated as valedictorian from Bishop Heelan High School in 1966.  Mac continued his studies at the University of Notre Dame, graduating magna cum laude in 1970.  Mac completed his studies at the University of Iowa College of Law in 1973, graduating with distinction.  He served in the United States Army Reserves from 1968 to 1978 as a Captain. 

Mac was a beloved husband to Constance “Connie” Richardson Smith, whom he married in 1972 and spent his life cherishing.  Mac and Connie’s marriage was a true love story and an inspiration to all around them. They enjoyed entertaining together, and wherever they went, fun was sure to follow.  Connie, the outgoing socialite never missed a chance to be a teacher; Mac, the reserved and organized one in the couple, had a plan and dry-witted humor for every occasion. 

Mac was a devoted father to Jay and Adam, whom he loved unconditionally, and who made him immensely proud.  He was a great student and admirer of our constitutional democracy and our founding fathers, as reflected in the names he and Connie chose for their sons — Jay Madison and Adam Hamilton Smith.  Mac was a fun and loving grandfather to Evelyn, Jackson, Carter, and Harry.  He was a dedicated and caring uncle, brother, son, and friend. 

Mac was an accomplished attorney with the firm of Smith and McElwain Law Offices, practicing labor law for decades, earning induction into the Northwest Iowa Labor Council Hall of Fame (2004) and the Iowa Federation of Labor Hall of Fame (2014), as well as frequent entries in the Best Lawyers in America.

Mac was an advocate and a fighter for working people.  He believed that working people should have the same legal representation as bosses, even though they might not be able to afford it.  He believed that we are all in this together—regardless of creed, color, sex, disability, or financial status.  Mac spent his life advocating for these values.  Starting at the age of ten, he worked at the law office his father, Harry H. Smith, founded.  The practice is now entrusted to his long-time friend and partner, Dennis McElwain, and his oldest son, Jay. 

Mac believed in the Labor Movement and the power of our collective voice.  Most importantly, he fought for the right for all of us to use our collective voice for good.  Mac was a proud member of the American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO, Local 716, for thirty years.  He taught at the University of Iowa Labor Center throughout his entire professional career and even into retirement.  Mac cherished being able to teach and answer questions of working people and business agents in an educational setting.

Mac was politically active in the Democratic Party his entire life.  In 1968, he met Connie for the first-time volunteering for the Democratic Party, which is where their love affair began.  Mac continued to be active in the Democratic Party, serving as the Campaign Chairperson for the late Congressman Berkley Bedell’s 1978 campaign, serving in various capacities for other campaigns, and even running for Congress on the Democratic ticket in 1996.  In 2017, the Iowa Woodbury County Democratic Party presented Mac with the “Harry Hopkins award for Outstanding Leadership in Democratic Party Politics.”

In addition to being a great attorney with a passion for his craft, his clients and politics, Mac was a wonderful role model to all he met on how to live a life of integrity, humility, and purpose.  He had a dry, sarcastic sense of humor, nearly as dry as the martinis he loved.  He enjoyed good music, a good drink, and a good conversation.  He also loved to do crossword puzzles and teach his grandchildren the fine arts of poker and how to cook a delicious meal.  Mac suffered various health problems beginning as a young man.  He overcame numerous obstacles and setbacks in his health over the course of his life.  Mac was an inspiration to all around him on how to overcome adversity with grace and grit.  He was a model of how to live a life in service to others.

Through his dedication and sense of responsibility, he became the center not just of his own family, but an extended clan.  His quiet strength was the backbone of the Smith family.  He will be deeply missed. 

Mac is survived by his loving wife, Connie; his sons, Jay (Alissa) and Adam; his grandchildren, Evelyn, Jackson, Carter, and Harry; his brother, Sherman Smith, sister-in-law, Dr. Nancy Barta-Smith, brother-in-law, Dr. John Richardson (Shelley), sister-in-law, Ann Colborn (Judge John Colborn, retired), sister-in-law, Mary Tester (Jon); and his many beloved nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Anne, his father, Harry, his brother, Harry Francis, and his aunt, Mary Jo Fuhrman. 

In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to the Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center in Sioux City, the Carmelite Nuns in Sioux City, or the Iowa Federation of Labor, where a scholarship fund is being established in his name. 

Due to COVID-19, the funeral will be for immediate family only.  Mac’s life will be celebrated at a later date when all of his many friends and family can gather safely.