Donald R. Smith

Donald R. “Don” Smith, 80, of Winter Haven passed away on December 12, 2015 at Good Shepherd Hospice in Auburndale, Florida. He was born on May 28, 1935 in Toledo, Ohio and moved to this area 19 years ago from Wauseon, Ohio.

During his childhood, Don loved family get-togethers, with all the cousins, riding pigs and horses, always getting in trouble, “acting like wild Indians” his Dad would say. He also liked going to the uncles’ farms to jump in the hay.

He enjoyed sports, playing basketball to the 10th grade and football to the 12th. Don, like his 3 brothers, was not afraid of hard work, starting young with a paper route, setting pins at the bowling alley, worked in a canning factory, bagged insulation, caught chickens, worked at the A&P and Kroger stores, worked on the farm bucking hay bales, picked tomatoes, worked on the NYC Railroad, just to name a few.

Don enlisted in the Air Force with two of his grad friends. He served with the 376 Bomb Wing (Strategic Air Command) at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, as well as TDY in England near Oxford and TDY in Goose Bay, Labrador.

Don was a retired electrician by trade, but he also designed and built a 9-hole golf course, owned an art gallery and frame shop in Golden, CO, and printed out old Show posters from Buffalo Bill museum.

Don wrote that his proudest family moments were “when my daughter and son were born.” “I’m proud of my marriage to Kay and our life together, like kayaking down the Juniper River in a pouring down rain – it doesn’t get more beautiful than this.”

Don also wrote that his proudest career accomplishments were passing the electricians’ test in Florida and Colorado, working in 14 states, working on the I-70 tunnel in Glenwood Springs, CO, working on 2 cooling towers at Crystal River, FL, working on 5 hospitals in 5 states, and serving in the USAF (SAC). He was proud of the golf course he designed, built, in which he owned and managed for 8 years.

Not only was Don a member of the United States Air Force, but also a member of the American Legion and the Disabled American Veterans.

Don was preceded in death by his parents, Vernard Smith and Martha (Walker) Smith. He is survived by his wife of twenty three years, Karen “Kay” Williams Smith, a daughter, Jennifer Blackburn of Brandon, FL, a son, Curtis Smith of Phoenix, AZ; his brothers: Jack Smith (Laurie) of Ellenton, FL, Richard Smith (Louise) of Winter Haven, FL, and Charles “Chuck” Smith (Pat); his stepdaughters: Elizabeth Gove (Gary) and Carol Siebig; and his grandchildren: Michael Chandler, Joshua Chandler, Joseph Cook, Rachael Cook, Abby Harris

A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, December 16, 2015 at 1 pm with a time for friends and family to gather from 12 to 1 pm. Both will be held at Ott-Laughlin Funeral Home in Winter Haven, Florida.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to Good Shepherd Hospice in Auburndale, Florida.