MY FRIEND IVAN

I met Ivan Smith in the late 1980’s when my friend Dick Rysinski invited me to go fishing in Seattle with him.  It turned out to be a terrific, fun filled excursion North into Canada with Ivan’s camper and boat.  I also had the plesure to meet Ivan’s lovely wife Liz and her family on our return to Seattle.  The trip was such fun that when invited the next time, I was elated and jumped on it.  The only problem was that early on, because I was a Naval Officer with a college degree, Ivan thought it necessary to invite his PHD Professor friend across the street to go along so I would have someone to talk with.  Little did he know that I had as much trouble talking to PHD’s as he did!

Our fishing trips soon became an annual outing, usually floating the Humptulips river salmon fishing with Dick, his son Rick and wife, his son-in-law Mike.  Catching fish was much less important than the comeraderie we shared for the next thirty years.  We did not always catch a lot of fish but the merchants at COSTCO and grocery stores along the way were very happy to have us “heavy grazers” around.  Our trips always ended at Ivan’s house where he and Liz were such gracious hosts for our ragmuffin band of fishermen.

Needless to say, my friendship with Ivan and Liz deepened to the point I considered them my family on the West Coast.  I consider Ivan one of my true friends, the kind you can count on one hand as you plod through life’s challenges.  He was an unbelievable planner, packer, limo driver and just plain pal to me.  

One of the last things Ivan said to me when I visited him last Fall was that he hated living alone.  Now he is with Liz and  happy.  I will always have a warm spot in my heart for Ivan.  Rest in peace my good friend!

John Ward

My GrandPa, brother Toby, and I went on a cross country trip from Seattle to North Carolina in GrandPa's motorhome. Every night, for two weeks, we would sit down with our drinks and watch M.A.S.H. Now whenever M.A.S.H. comes on I love to watch it and it reminds me of GrandPa and those great two weeks we had together with him.

One of my fond memories of GrandPa was when I was little he and GrandMa would drive their motorhome from Seattle to our house. I used to stand in the yard and watch while Toby helped GrandPa park in the grass. Then I would go and hug him and GrandMa. After I got my hugs, GrandPa would get his box of milkbone treats that he always brought for our dog "Crayon." He would let me feed our dog those special treats. 

My dad was always a free spirit. He was never able to stay in one place for too long. I remember some  amazing road trips with him traveling to Oregon, Canada, Idaho, Utah and California.  I admired him for bringing people together. Whether it was friends he met along the way or family, he always managed to pull off some pretty amazing reunions. 

The biggest sense of pride I felt was when my daughter Rylee was born. I saw a twinkle of something in his eyes that could only be described as pure love and adornment of his grandchild. I will never forget him holding her and saying something funny to me like, “you done good, kid”. 

Some of my best memories of my dad included anytime I could get a big belly laugh out of him. Nothing was off limits with him and this made making him laugh even more fun for me. 

I was supposed to visit him in Centralia next month and I’m sad I don’t get to see him one last time. To hear his laugh and to see his face. Just one last time. I was his only daughter and he was my only dad.  I feel we had a unique relationship that was not always pretty, but we did the best we could.  

I will miss his phone calls filled with stories of adventures. I always knew he would be going somewhere and doing something until the day he died. I know this made him very happy, and I am happy that the end of his life was filled with love and travel. I will miss you dad. 

My Dad and Ivan met in the Navy in the late 50's.....both Hospital men and corpsmen to the Marines. The friendship stayed strong through the 60s 70s 80s..... I knew him as "mr smith". In 1993 right after my dad retired we went with Ivan on a fishing trip ty o Deep Bay British Columbia.  This was the start of a yearly trek to Washington  to fish....and sometimes CATCH. Over the years the yearly trips became more of a family visit with fishing thrown in. We went to  Idaho, Montana,British Columbia....places I never would have went to if it wasnt for a friendship started 60 YRS AGO.  Along the way we realized we actually got a whole branch on the family tree. Liz and Ivan welcomed us from the beginning as part of the family. I loved hearing the Navy stories they told every yr. ...the gang barbecues at they're house when the "NJ" people were in town,kielbasa and pork roll on the grill! Ivan even came out for my sons Marine Corps Graduation in June 2005.....was cool watching him and my Dad at Parris Island taking it all in. After my dad passed in 2009,we still came out every yr.....and Ivan became one of my best friends..... and I'll miss our weekly calls to catch up.......and the planning of our next get together.  Give my Dad a big hug Ivan....my son as well....and tell him how proud I am of him ....rest easy Doc " fair wind and following seas"

A few things I'll always remember about Dad:

- Sitting on Dad’s lap in his Chevy truck when I was very young, with him letting me steer as we coasted down a slow sloped, empty road in Ellensburg.
- With a few exceptions, his cars were always red. From the old Chevy pickup, to the Pinto, the Chevette, LTD and beyond. Always red.
- Dad could never decide where the woodpile should go - under the deck or next to the garage. Scott and I were enlisted to move the woodpile often, usually when it hold its maximum capacity of creepy crawlies - spiders, centipedes, potato bugs and banana slugs. 
- My birthday at the end of first grade, where the Dad and the family picked me up at school, camper loaded, for our trip down the coast to Disneyland. Felt like the coolest kid in school.
- Phone calls with Dad when I was in broadcasting school. He'd make some remark to piss me off -  "they're hiring a guy to do farm reports in Umatilla...". When I interned for then landed a job at one of the top-rated radio stations in Seattle, all my cousins seemed to know about it. I think he was proud... even though I was just on weekend overnights.
- In later years, various lunches/brunches at some of my favorite spots around Seattle - The 5 Point Cafe for chicken fried steak and strong coffee, 13 Coins sitting at tall-backed counter seats for omelettes and Bloody Marys, Ludi’s diner at the corner of 2nd and Pike, enjoying Filipino breakfast and conversation with the owners
- The family trip to Sayulita. Sitting on the edge of the pool watching the last sunset of our trip over the Pacific, the sound of cicadas revving up their engines in the canopy of trees below and the crinkle of the palapa as geckos emerged from sunning themselves all day. 
- Christmas evening - the last night I saw him. Enjoying the Clint Eastwood movie The Mule at Roadhouse Cinemas in Tucson. Pizzas and popcorn ordered from and delivered to our seats. “That was really neat, Ive! We ought to do that again!”

Hospitality...Uncle Ivan had it down. He liked getting people together, so good about showing up for a special occasion, and good at creating one. I’ll miss visiting him at Long Beach. I will stay at the Mermaid Inn again, and wish he was there.  

Always big fun and adventure at GrandPa's house.

Always an adventure at GrandPa's. Big fun.

My GrnadPa was a man that I looked up to in my life. He knew what he needed to put first in his life. I'm so glad that GrandPa and my Grandfather got to meet each other just about a year ago. GrandPa was always so proud of me, my baseball, and everything else in my life. Love you GrandPa.

My father and mother went their separate ways when I was just two years old. I wouldn't be re- acquainted with Dad  until I was thirty-eight. I can share today that these last twenty-two years with my Dad have been the best years of my life. Thank you Ivan and Elizabeth for accepting me and my family back into your lives. 

Always loved the slogan from Navy days, "one team, one fight." This bunch loved their GrandPa and alway knew that he had their back. 

Dakotah, always ready to go on a trip with her GrandPa and GrandMa.

And most especially, My Dad pictured with the love of his life, his wife Elizabeth. 

Dad loved to fish, pictured here with his favorite fisshing buddy from our family, his daughter-in-law and my wife, Dale.

Dad's greatest joy was spending time with his family especially grandchildren. Pictured here with Grandma Liz and the Troxler children,  (L-R) AJ, Dakotah, Toby and Beverly.

Dad loved his life in the Navy, working as a Hospital Corpsman, Pharmaceutical Technician aboard USS Kitty Hawk, as a Marine medic in Vietnam, this was the assignment he was most proud of and would produce many life long friendships. Finally as the active duty liaison to a Navy reserve detachment in Portland. Dad retired from the Navy in 1975 after 21 years of distinguished service earning along the way, 5 good conduct medals, the Navy achievement medal with accommodation for outstanding service, Vietnam service medal with stars, 4 separate stars each represent separate Marine exercises in combat.


"May the God of all comfort ,...Father of tender mercies "be with the family  of Ivan A.Smith during this time of deep sorrow  2 Corinthians 1:3,4
My sincere condolences to all

OBITUARIO

Ivan Alfred Smith Jr.

25 mayo, 1933 – 26 enero, 2019

Acacia Memorial Park & Funeral Home

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