Isaac Immanuel Smith

Isaac Immanuel Smith, age 23, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota (formerly of Marshall, MN and Beresford, SD), following a long struggle with depression, died by suicide on Saturday, December 21, 2019. Funeral services are 3:00 p.m. Saturday, December 28, 2019 at Swan Lake Evangelical Free Church in Cottonwood, Minnesota, with Pastor James Allen officiating. Visitation will be held from 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. Friday, December 27 at Hamilton Funeral Home in Marshall, Minnesota. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service on Saturday, from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m., at the church in Cottonwood.

Isaac Immanuel Smith was born on November 18, 1996 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He was dedicated to God by his parents on February 23, 1997. Isaac made a public profession of his faith and was baptized in January of 2007 at the First Baptist Church in Parker, South Dakota. Isaac grew up in Beresford, South Dakota, a place he always considered home, until the family moved to Marshall, Minnesota, in 2011. He graduated with honors from Marshall High School in 2015. In 2018, Isaac received an Associate Degree from the University of South Dakota and he was recently employed at Black Hills Federal Credit Union in Sioux Falls as a Personal Financial Associate. Isaac loved the outdoors, riding his motorcycle, building computers, and playing video games with his friends.

He is survived by his parents, Dominic and Kristin Smith; brothers, Gabriel and Elijah; sister, Karlena, all of Marshall; paternal grandparents, Robert and Rebecca Smith of Parker, South Dakota; maternal grandparents, Darrel and Kathy Johnson of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; great-grandmother, Elizabeth Johnson; aunts, uncles, cousins, many other relatives and friends.

We believe it is important to be candid with the nature of his death - in that he took his own life, and that he struggled with depression and mental illness for several years. We are proud of our son and love him very much. This is a terrible tragedy. We would like people to know that he was sick. We think he believed the lie that there is no hope from our broken condition. Our spirits long for something more than this world and the people in it can give. We know that longing is for God. We know that Satan has polluted the world with lies which distract us from God’s loving grace and mercy. We know Jesus died for us all, including Isaac. We trust that God has this situation too, in His control. Praise be to God for the time we had with Isaac. Faith is real when it is tested. We are called to rely on Him even when we cannot see the truth and do not understand the reason for our circumstances. Please pray for our family as we learn to live our lives without Isaac being with us. He will be dearly missed.

We are broken-hearted but want our loss to possibly help someone else who might be hurting. If you are struggling with depression or anxiety and hopelessness – your life matters. Please reach out for help you don’t have to struggle alone! If you or someone you know needs help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). You can also text a crisis counselor by messaging 741741.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Avera Medical Group Behavior Health Services. Thank you.