Fredrick Gordon Smith

Fredrick Gordon Smith, age 79, died at the Illinois Veteran’s Home in Anna, Illinois on May 20, 2012 after a lengthy illness. Gordon was born on August 22, 1932 in Benton, Illinois the son of Fred and Ethel Mae (Morgan) Smith. Gordon and his sister Carmen (Smith) Browning were raised by their maternal grandmother Missouri Morgan. He grew up in Benton and graduated from Benton Township High School in 1950. Shortly after completion of high school, Gordon enlisted in the army. He served his country for twenty years in the army. He was in combat in both the Korean and Viet Nam wars. He was severely wounded in Viet Nam and was rescued only after a military helicopter braved enemy fire to evacuate him. He spent months in recovery in an army hospital in Tokyo, Japan and received the purple heart for his brave service.

After leaving Japan, Gordon was assigned to Fort Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina as a Field First Sergeant in charge of training troops for combat service. In Columbia he met and married Joycelyn Puckett and she preceded him in death on August 9, 1996. He remained at Fort Jackson until his retirement in 1971 and began his twenty year career for the US Postal Service in Columbia. He retired from the US Postal Service in 1991. Gordon was a charter member of Capital City Baptist Church.

He is survived by his sister Carmen (Smith) Browning and husband Kirby of Benton, IL, one niece Lisa (Browning) Brown and husband Jeff of Benton, IL, one nephew Bryan Browning of Peachtree City, GA, his cousin Faye (Morgan) Huffman and her husband CE of Beckley, WV and their two children Wade of Beckley, WV and Landy (Huffman) Gilkerson of Greenville, NC, his aunt Geraldine Morgan and her two sons Roger and Wayne of Alexandria, VA. He is also survived by his very close grandnephew, Brandtlee Brown; and grandniece, Elissa Brown, both of Benton, IL; and Matthew and Will Browning both of Peachtree City, GA. He was preceded in death by his wife, both parents, grandmother, and infant brother Joseph Windham.

The funeral service will be held at 1:00 pm, Thursday, May 24th, at Shives Funeral Home, Colonial Chapel, 5202 Colonial Dr, Columbia, with Rev. Paul Monroe officiating. The family will receive friends prior to the service beginning at 11:00 am. Burial will immediately follow the service at the Crescent Hill Memorial Gardens in Columbia.