Obituary for Don Smith
Don Smith
03/25/1930 - 07/26/2018
Donald Robert Smith passed away peacefully at his residence in Westerville, OH July 26, 2018.
Preceded in death by his parents Arthur Smith and Hazel Greene, Sister Ruth J. Schaefer, wife Bessie K. Smith, daughter Paula (Smith) File, and Rita (Babka) Smith, mother of his children.
Don is survived by his children, Mark Smith (Pam) Hilliard, OH; Claudia Smith Lanthorn (Cliff) Delaware, OH; Deidra Smith Headlee (Mark) Sunbury, OH; Grandchildren Stephanie Lanthorn Grieshop (Mike) Lewis Center, OH; Kyle Smith Denver, CO, Danielle FileDurham, NC; Kaitlyn Schwartz Moos (Tony) Lancaster, OH; Timothy File, Seattle, WA. Great grandchildren William Grieshop, Juliana Grieshop. Don is also survived by Bessie’s daughter’sKathy, Debbie, Sherry, Karen, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Don was born on March 25, 1930 in Chardon, OH. He graduated from The Ohio State University in Aeronautical Engineering. He is a Veteran of the US Air Force and served as a pilot the Korean War. After serving in the Korean War he worked for North American Rockwell and settled in Westerville, OH. He was the owner of Rofini’s Pizza and Do-Jo Donuts in Westerville as well as Nita-Kay Bakery in Gahanna. He then re-entered into Engineering with Grumman Flxible in Delaware, OH. In 1978 he ventured to Seattle to continue his work in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering. He then moved to Oakdale, CA and became a VP of Marketing for Lift-U Incorporated a division of Hogan Manufacturing located in Escalon, CA. He was instrumental in developing the wheelchair lift for transit busses, retiring in 1993. He returned home to Westerville in 2013.
He loved the outdoors, traveling, square-dancing, and of course The Ohio State Buckeyes!
His wishes were for a private family service
Friends may wish to contribute in his memory to the Chalmers P. Wylie VA Ambulatory Care Center 420 N. James Rd Columbus, OH 43219