Howard Franklin Smith

He will be lovingly remembered by his current wife, Tracie Baker; his children, Lin (Marisa LoSardo), Michael, Terry (Bethany Corson), and Laura (Will) Flippo; his grandchildren, Dominic, Vinny, Cassidy, Zachary, Avery, and Kieran; and his sister, Jean Taylor.

Lin was preceded to heaven by his wife of 38 years, Linda, his mother Alva, his father Raymond, and stepmother Hattie.

Lin was born in Bloomington, Illinois, on September 18, 1941. In 1959 he graduated from Sullivan High School. He went on to proudly serve in the US Navy from 1960 to 1964, spending most of his time aboard the USS Basilone DD-824 as an RM3. It was through his military service that he met the love of his life, Linda.

Following his time in the Navy, Lin had an expansive career in aviation as a licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic and Avionics Instructor for various companies, retiring from DHL as a Senior Maintenance Training Instructor. During his career, Lin not only earned his AA in Applied Sciences but also a Lifetime FCC GROL and numerous awards from employers and the FAA.

When Lin enjoyed something, he gave it his all, and being the varied and colorful person he was, he had a wide range of passions.

Throughout his life, he found immense joy in creating all types of media. He especially enjoyed filmmaking and produced everything from home movies to instructional films for employers. This passion eventually led to forming his own company, Suncoast Media Productions, which later became Mid-South Media Productions when he relocated to Mississippi after his retirement.

His love of auto racing led to owning Formula None Racing with his son, Terry. Their involvement in the ChampCar Endurance Series was a family affair that included son Lin and grandsons Dominic and Vinny, along with several close family friends. Lin would gladly step over the wall on occasion and become part of the pit crew, and of course he had tremendous input on team communications.

Being a locomotive enthusiast, Lin spent time volunteering at the Monticello Railway Museum. There he aided in the restoration of the 401 Steam Engine. He later combined two of his passions by making a film dedicated to its history.

To know Lin was to know how much he loved his family and how incredibly proud he was of each one of his children. He was proud they do what they love and that it all connects to him in some way. Each of his children and grandchildren will carry a part of Lin with them.

His loved ones will miss him but will cherish his memory always.

A service honoring his life will be held at Cape Canaveral National Cemetery on June 27, 2025, at 9 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be made to the Monticello Railway Museum at P.O. Box 401 Monticello, IL 61856 or online at www.mrym.org.

The family would also like to thank the staff at Spring Valley Hospice and Landmark of Desoto for their compassionate care.