Walter Wulfing Smith

5, 1948, to Robert Leonard and Katharine Margaret (Wulfing) Smith. He attended elementary school

in Newton, Iowa and joined the Boy Scouts of America, going on to earn his Eagle Scout. His

high school years were spent at Culver Military Academy, graduating in 1966. He attended

college at Iowa State University and earned his bachelor’s degree in three years while working

nights at a machining shop and raising a young family. Immediately following his bachelor’s

degree, Walt enlisted in the US Army and was stationed as a second lieutenant at Yuma Proving

Ground in Yuma, Arizona. He earned a Master of Business Administration from Drake University

in 1978.

As a youth, Walt held summer jobs at his father’s company, Thombert, Inc. Following his

Army service, he contemplated job offers from other companies, but ultimately returned to

Newton to work full time at Thombert, serving that company in virtually every capacity the

company had to offer, working on the factory line, working in their sales division, and guiding

the company as President and CEO. He brought innovation and focus to the company that

endures as a thriving business.

Walt would form other companies during his career (Petrolast, ITWC, Cyko), and served

as a board member for many others. He was active in community development efforts, serving

the Mid Iowa Council of Boy Scouts of America, Polyurethane Manufacturing Association

(PMA), United Way, Children and Families of Iowa, the Newton Air Fair, the Newton

Development Corporation; Rotary Club, the Iowa Association of Business and Industry, and the

Iowa Leadership Coordination Council. Amongst many honors, he received the Leadership for

Iowa award for the 1982-83 year from the Iowa Association of Business and Industry and

Distinguished Eagle Scout (1988) from the Mid Iowa Council BSA.

Walt maintained an enduring love for trains, the Boy Scouts, Culver Academy, and most

of all, his children and grandchildren.

Walt passed peacefully in his sleep on June 7, 2024. Walt is preceded in death by his

parents Robert and Kay. He is survived by his sister Katharine (David) Hough, his children

Elizabeth (Fred) Nagler of Kalamazoo, Michigan, Lara (Kirby) Smith-Nicholson of Delray Beach,

Florida, Margaret (Jeff) Collings of Newton Abbot, Devon, UK, and William (Maria) Smith of

Pella, Iowa. He is survived as well by his grandchildren Brendan Nagler, Katharine Nagler, Eliot

Nagler, Alena Nicholson, William Nicholson, Anna Nicholson, Antony Adolfson, Nicolas

Adolfson, and Joshua Adolfson.