Daniel DeRome Smith

Our very special Father has gone to join his loving wife Marylouise Gillespie Smith of 65 years in their new home with the Lord. Born on 9/25/1921 in Oak Park, Illinois where he grew up and attended college for 2 years while working prior to the war. He was passionate about cycling and the Columbus Park Wheelmen Club before being called to duty for WWII. In search of adventure, he was assigned to the Army’s Regimental Reconnaissance of the 30th Division’s 117th Regiment. He landed on Omaha Beach on day three and then drove directly in to the heart of the German defenses. He saw action in Saint Low, Mortain and help drive the enemy back across France to Germany. His unit provided key intelligence from behind the lines in the breaching of the Siegfried Line and during the battle of the Bulge and in the drive into Germany. His recon group continued to lead the way towards Berlin and was in front of the 2nd Armor Division in their charge across Germany ending in Magdeburg, Germany where the war ended for them. He received the Purple Heart, Bronze and Silver Stars, and the French Legion of Honor Medal for his services. He was very proud to have co-authored a book of his amazing war memories including his photos of the war in Europe in 2013 called “Memoirs of World War II in Europe”.

He joined the family burial business in Oak Park after the war and met and married the love of his life Marylouise Gillespie. They moved to Phoenix Arizona in June of 1951, raising their family of 5 children. He was an active and founding member of Saint Simon & Jude Church Cathedral. He worked for APS for 32 years before retiring in 1985. His love of adventure and the outdoors took the family to places where few have been and he traveled extensively in Europe before and after retirement. He was preceded in his death by all of his brothers and sister and our loving Mother. He is survived by his children Margaret Mary Kelsey, Michael P Smith and wife Dorothy, Patricia A. O’Hara, Marylouise Robles, Robert D. Smith, 15 Grandchildren, 24 Great Grandchildren and a Great-Great Grandchild.

A viewing will be held at 5PM on 11/30/2014 at the Chapel of the Chimes Mortuary located at 7924 N 59th Ave., Glendale Az. A funeral Mass will be celebrated on 12/01/2014 at 10 AM at St. Clements’s Catholic Church 15800 Del Webb Blvd., followed by internment in the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona at 12:30 PM where he will join our mother.