Patrick E. Smith

Patrick E. Smith, 76, of Belleville (formerly of Peoria, IL.) passed away peacefully Friday, Dec. 31, 2021, at St. Mary’s Hospital in St. Louis, Mo. He is survived by his wife Lois and two daughters, Christine and Kathy.

Patrick was preceded in death by his father, mother, stepmother, and grandparents, as well as aunts, uncles, and cousins and several cherished pets.

He was born in Oklahoma and raised in Peoria, IL, where he graduated from Spalding Institute. He earned a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. Upon graduation, he received his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Later in life, he spoke often about his service as a proud Vietnam veteran, although the war made an indelible imprint on his career and health.

He was also very proud of his Professional Engineer (P.E.) license from the state of Illinois. His daughters recall him signing personal greeting cards to them as “Patrick E. Smith, P.E.” and thinking the “P.E.” was a funny way of including his initials. He helped to design and maintain essential infrastructure for the City of Peoria, in addition to many other projects.

In the 1980s, Patrick briefly paused his engineering career to embrace a new role: Mr. Mom. He absolutely loved being a father, showing his daughters unconditional love and support. As Mr. Mom, he played make-believe and inspired creativity in his children.

He supported several charities, including St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Mercy Home for Boys and Girls of Chicago. For years, he served as a minister of care at Saint Peter’s Cathedral in Belleville. A devout Catholic, he served God and aimed to help as many people as he could, touching many hearts along the way. Patrick was fond of giving friends and family religious medals, prayer cards and rosaries as a way of showing his love.

Patrick was passionate not only about his family and Catholic faith, but also about sports. As a loyal U of I alumnus, he cheered for the Fighting Illini. Although a Cardinals baseball fan, he once donned a Chicago Cubs hat to support his youngest daughter while she was living in Chicago. He collected ball caps and imbued each one with personal meaning: for example, he acquired a Los Angeles Dodgers hat because “L.A.” stood for his wife’s first two initials. Patrick would be pleased to know one of his favorite college football teams, Oklahoma, won the Alamo Bowl a few days after his death and the Las Vegas Raiders are playoff bound.

As a member of the ROMEOs (retired old men eating out) meeting weekly for lunch and camaraderie, he showed that one can find extraordinary joy in long lasting friendships. And those lucky enough to have shared these moments will miss Patrick dearly.

Burial of ashes and memorial will be at a later date due to COVID precautions. Memorials may be made to Caritas Family Solutions in Belleville; to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; or to Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, 1140 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL, 60607. Fond memories and condolences may be shared at ValhallaGardensandFuneralHome.com for the Smith family.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.ValhallaGardensandFuneralHome.com for the Smith family.