Obituary of Maynard Smith
It is with great sadness that the family of Maynard Clyde Smith announces his unexpected passing March 11, 2018 at Clackamas Medical Center surrounded by his families love and support. He was 86 years old.
Maynard was the eldest of two sons born to Emmett Maynard Smith and Ida Elizabeth (Phillips) Smith, born February 18, 1932 in Emmett, Idaho. At age two the family moved to Klamath Falls, Oregon where he was raised and graduated from Klamath Falls High School in 1950. After graduation he joined the Navy where he served from 1950-1955 assigned the majority of the time to the USS Buck DD 761 Destroyer as a Boatswain Mate 3rd Class during the Korean War.
While on leave in Klamath Falls he reconnected with Donna ‘Carol’ Cunningham the sister of his longtime friend Dale Cunningham. They were married not long after on February 4, 1955 in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. They were best friends and life companions for over 62 years until Carol’s passing on October 31, 2017.
After his military service ended he attended Oregon Institute of Technology in Klamath Falls receiving a degree in Structural Design. After graduation in 1959 he moved his family to Mill City, Oregon where he began a long career as a Civil Engineer with the U.S. Forest Service. After 10 years in Mill City and a short 2 year period stationed at the Darrington, Washington Mt. Baker Ranger District he ended his 27 year career retiring out of the Clackamas River Ranger District in Estacada, Oregon in 1988.
Maynard was very proud of his service to his country and became a life member of the VFW in 1989, serving over 30 years for the organization. He retired from active service in 2013 after holding multiple positions at both the local and state level. He worked on committees that met multiple times with President Bush that were instrumental in securing financial support for the Korean War Memorial in Washington DC. He was also active on the MIA Committee.
Maynard loved the outdoors, hunting, fishing, especially most recently fishing with his son and grandsons. He was an avid sports fan and enjoyed watching the Oregon Beavers and the Trailblazers.
He is survived by his children; Jacki (Rod) Hayter, Shelley (Bill) Coleman, Pam Clark, Randy (Shannon) Smith, his brother Jack Smith and his grandchildren, Kelsey, Andy and Tyler Hayter, Rocky Coleman, Kindall and Nathan Clark, Rick, Jennifer, and Kyle Smith. He also had ten great grandchildren that both he and mom treasured. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. “Dad, Grandpa, and Papa our only consolation of not having you here with us is that you and mom are together again, forever.
Military honors and committal service will be held, 1:00 pm, Thursday, March 22, 2018 at Willamette National Cemetery followed by a Celebration of life gathering at 2:00 pm at Bateman Carroll Funeral Home, Gresham OR.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Veterans of Foreign Wars Dept. of Oregon, Post #180, Gresham, OR.
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