Allen Francis Smith

hard part. To share with even with family and close friends is not something that we do

everyday…but it does need to be done somehow. I find it very difficult to bring it from the

beginning to the end because I didn’t live his life…I just danced along with him for 46 years. I

was and audience and an observer.

Born at the old Galt hospital in 1950 and born to Mary (Sebastian) and Alfred Smith he was

brought home to Preston to join his brother Tom and sister Jeanette. His parents and his

brother have passed and left to mourn him is his sister. Raised in Preston and attending PHS

he enjoyed his City and all the friends he made along the way. Not long out of high school he

was employed at Firth Brown Tools for 47 years and that was quite the journey that he relished

in the paycheque and the security that it brought him but did not enjoy the industry. He made

friends along that path that seemed to make him content. He realize that his humour drew

people to him and his goodness and kindness were always reflected in the people who he

touched. I can never remember one person speaking ill of him and he rarely spoke ill of

anyone else. That surely is a gift that can’t be taught.

When I first met Allen (Smitty) I was amazed at how comfortable he was in his own skin. He

didn’t want for much and he lived in the present, never worrying about the future and knew that

life just sorts itself out …. Good or bad….What drew me to him was how he could make me

laugh and we sure did that over the many years and our Friday nights with great conversations

about everything over a few bevies…He was very diplomatic, practical and grounded in his

world views of things. Simple things brought him so much pleasure and his life was lived with

peace within himself and a joy he would say “just to be alive”. I was the kite and he was the

rock.

What I am so thankful was how he embraced my family with true love. I would complain about

so many things and he would say “Shut up” you have a fabulous family. He respected my

parents and he enjoyed them just as Nan and Jim and they said if we ever parted they would

pick him over me. They have since past. He loved my brothers …Jim and his wife Barbara,

Mike and his wife Sandra and Kyle and his wife Diane and his many nieces and nephews and

enjoyed hearing about all the things they were doing. My brothers called him brother also and

treated him as their own. They all are left to mourn but he will always be mentioned in their

conversations over the years to come that they will share with their own kids and their friends.

Who could ask for more.

Even though he was Canadian we turned him into a true “Scot” over the years. He relished all

of the Scottish family visiting and he finally over the years could understand what they were

saying. He loved my connection to Scotland and often spoke about all of them. All the clan

will surely miss him but again will speak of him often.

We will do a nice “Celebration of Life” at a later date and we will toast him and have a good old

laugh.

A very special heart felt thank you to the Cambridge Memorial Hospital for your care and

especially your compassion that took him out of this world peacefully and with no pain. Angels

on earth…..thank you…….

……….

A favourite line from a song he loved……”Long May You Run”…………………………………..

Allen F. Smith - August 17, 1950 - February 7, 2024