Howard Lowell Smith

Howard Smith of Chillicothe took his mortal leave October 24th, 2019 after a brief illness. As a father, husband, brother, uncle, grandfather, friend and more, Howard brought goodness, humor, inquisitiveness, and a satisfying conversation to any one he met. Born April 13, 1935 in Columbus, Nebraska to Lester E Smith and Irene Amanda (nee Jewett), he grew up in coal mine towns across Pennsylvania, Ohio Valley and Illinois before marrying Beverly Jane Slocum (b. 1935, d.1992) on June 20, 1959 and headed to University of Nebraska on a football scholarship to earn a Civil Engineering B.S. His professional life with Morrison-Knudson took him to large scale construction projects in some of God’s most beautiful spots in Missouri, California, Montana, Idaho, Alaska, Tennessee, New Jersey, Virginia and then Ohio where he retired in 1994. He found love again with Mary Lansing and they married July 2, 1994, bringing together Howard’s three children, Terri and Damon Bresenham (Boston, MA), Doug Smith (Holly Springs, NC) and Brad and Stacy (nee Farmer) (Murfreesboro, TN) with Mary’s three sons, Mike & Karen (Santa Fe, NM), Terry & Janna (Columbus, OH), and Rick & Cheryl (Chillicothe, OH). A man of great humility, he would allow himself a sense of pride for their collective group of loving grandkids, Adam, Katie, Grace, Dana, Savanna, Broedy, Brooklyn, Peyton, Parker, Alyssa, Blake, Dustin, Drew, Mike, Chris and Jon and their spouses. Howard and Mary were also blessed with 9 ½ great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. He was proceeded in death by his parents, brother Norman Smith (Yates City, IL) and survived by his sister, Carolee Murray (New Berlin, IL) and a ‘merry set of prankster’ cousins.

‘The H’, ‘Papa Howard’, ‘Pops’, ‘Ham’, ‘G.O.A.T.’, ‘The Lewistown Jet’ had many nicknames, indicative of how easily he created meaningful, lasting relationships at every stage and corner of his life. He valued family, friendship, integrity, a hard day’s work, making things with his hands, sports, sharing a good joke, and always living as a man of God. He believed in community and was a member of Walnut Street Methodist Church and their Altersgate, Kiwanis, a volunteer at the VA, Habitat for Humanity, and named a ‘Community Hero’ by the Red Cross.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests a donation to the Howard Smith Scholarship fund for the Walnut Street Children’s School to honor Howard’s belief in the next generation. Please join us as we celebrate him being set free of his human body to rejoice with his family and friends in his Lord’s realm.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 29, 2019, at the Walnut Street United Methodist Church, with Pastor Joe Ziraldo officiating. Friends may call at the Church one hour prior to the service. Burial will be held at the convenience of the family in Brimfield Township Cemetery in Brimfield, Illinois. Arrangements are under the direction of the WARE FUNERAL HOME.

You may sign his online register at www.warefh.com.

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