of Warwick NY and Hobe Sound, FL, passed away on July 9, 2007 at The Harbors, Treasure Coast Hospice. He was 73.
The son of the late William J. and Anna M. Shields Smith, he was born on June 29, 1934 in Goshen, NY. He was a US Navy Veteran serving during the Korean War, a member of the American Legion Post NY 0214 and the AMVETS, Post NY 2946. He was a retired ASAT Counselor and Vocational Instructor for NYS Department of Corrections, a past Police Officer with the Village of Warwick, the Town of Warwick, the Village of Montgomery and a past Orange County Sheriffs Deputy. He was a past member of the Warwick Excelsior Hose Fire Department, the Warwick Fire Police, the Warwick Ambulance Corp., the Warwick Jaycees, and a teacher at Orange-Ulster BOCES. He was a life member of the Newburgh Yacht Club and the US Coast Guard Auxiliary. He was instrumental in the formation of the Warwick Flotilla and was the first Flotilla Commander. He was the recipient of “Bogen Trophy”, the US Coast Guard Auxiliary’s highest honor, one that is only awarded when it is merited, and the “United States Coast Guard Certificate of Merit” for saving the life of a man who fell off the M/V Dayliner south of the Newburgh Beacon Bridge. He taught Safe Boating Courses and is credited for teaching a class to the Kings School Fourth grade class, which was the first of its kind in New York State and the first such class offered to a school system in which all that passed the test would get a license to operate a boat, no matter what age they were.
He loved his family, he loved life, he loved his retirement in Florida, he loved to make people laugh and he had a special way of doing just that.
He is survived by his wife, Betty Lou Gray Smith, at home; a son, Guy A Smith & his wife Janine of Staten Island; a daughter, Cheryl A. Smith and granddaughter, Kaitlyn Erin Smith of Warwick; brothers John S. Smith & his wife Marilyn of Maybrook; William Smith; two predeceased brothers, Francis H. Smith; James P. Smith; and several nieces and nephews.
Cremation was private. To celebrate his life, a Memorial Service will take place on Saturday, September 15th, at the Lazear-Smith & Vander Plaat Memorial Home, 17 Oakland Ave., Warwick, NY. Memorial visitation will take place from 1-2 p.m., followed by a memorial service at 2 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Treasure Coast Hospices, 1201 SE Indian St., Stuart, FL 34997-5688 or the Warwick Ambulance Corp., PO Box 315, Warwick, NY 10990.