William P. Smith, 87, of East Bethel Church Road, Gallipolis, died at Holzer Senior Care on Saturday (Oct. 2, 2010).
Bill was born Aug. 9, 1923, to Earl A. and Hilma M. Smith at Lowell, Ohio, in Washington County. He was a graduate of Marietta High School in 1940, and received his bachelor of science degree in agriculture from The Ohio State University in 1947. He also completed his master's degree in agricultural economics at OSU in 1968. He served three years (1943-1946) in the U.S. Army in World War II and saw combat duty with the Eighth Armored Division in the European theatre of operations. He was honorably discharged with the rank of sergeant.
He was employed by the Ohio Cooperative Extension Service, where he worked for 32 years before his retirement in 1979. His extension work took him across a 13-county region in the southeastern part of Ohio. He served as the County Extension Agent for Agriculture in Scioto County from August 1947 through May 31, 1948. He transferred to Gallia County on June 1, 1948, where he served until Sept. 30, 1965, when he took a sabbatical leave for study. Returning Jan. 1, 1966, Bill served as Area Extension Agent for Farm Management out of the Jackson Ohio Area Extension Center until his retirement on Jan. 31, 1979.
In 1961, Bill received the Distinguished Service Award from the National Association of County Agriculture Agents. He was actively involved with all aspects of agricultural life in Gallia County working with farm families, FFA members and 4-H youth. He has been described as the "father" of the Gallia County Junior Fair which was founded in 1950 under his leadership. Bill served as a member of the board of directors of Buckeye Rural Electric, a member of the board of directors of the Gallia County Ag Center, and held various offices with the Ohio County Agents Association. He was a member of Grace United Methodist Church for over 50 years and had taught Sunday school, served as Sunday school superintendent and served on various committees at the church.
He married the former Dorothy Becker of Whipple (Washington County) on July 19, 1947, and she survives him.
Bill is survived by a son, Roger and his wife, Melody, of Marietta; three granddaughters, Lori (Larry) Hendershot, Melissa (Matt) Hartline, Katherine (Matt) Hendershot, all of Marietta; five great-grandchildren, Dylan, Emma, and Grace Hartline, Leigha Hendershot and Matilyn Hendershot, all at home. He is also survived by a brother, Earl J. (Joan) of Lowell; sisters, Marcella Scott of Akron, Joan Rech, Dorothy (Richard) Stauch, sister-in-law, Clara Smith, all of Marietta, brother-in-law Dean (Carolyn) Becker, sister-in-law Ruth (Hollie) Handschumacher, all of Whipple; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his daughter, Barbara Jean, in 1965; his parents; two brothers, Robert and Paul; brothers-in-law, Walter Scott and John Rech; and sister-in-law, Alta Smith.
Bill was born Aug. 9, 1923, to Earl A. and Hilma M. Smith at Lowell, Ohio, in Washington County. He was a graduate of Marietta High School in 1940, and received his bachelor of science degree in agriculture from The Ohio State University in 1947. He also completed his master's degree in agricultural economics at OSU in 1968. He served three years (1943-1946) in the U.S. Army in World War II and saw combat duty with the Eighth Armored Division in the European theatre of operations. He was honorably discharged with the rank of sergeant.
He was employed by the Ohio Cooperative Extension Service, where he worked for 32 years before his retirement in 1979. His extension work took him across a 13-county region in the southeastern part of Ohio. He served as the County Extension Agent for Agriculture in Scioto County from August 1947 through May 31, 1948. He transferred to Gallia County on June 1, 1948, where he served until Sept. 30, 1965, when he took a sabbatical leave for study. Returning Jan. 1, 1966, Bill served as Area Extension Agent for Farm Management out of the Jackson Ohio Area Extension Center until his retirement on Jan. 31, 1979.
In 1961, Bill received the Distinguished Service Award from the National Association of County Agriculture Agents. He was actively involved with all aspects of agricultural life in Gallia County working with farm families, FFA members and 4-H youth. He has been described as the "father" of the Gallia County Junior Fair which was founded in 1950 under his leadership. Bill served as a member of the board of directors of Buckeye Rural Electric, a member of the board of directors of the Gallia County Ag Center, and held various offices with the Ohio County Agents Association. He was a member of Grace United Methodist Church for over 50 years and had taught Sunday school, served as Sunday school superintendent and served on various committees at the church.
He married the former Dorothy Becker of Whipple (Washington County) on July 19, 1947, and she survives him.
Bill is survived by a son, Roger and his wife, Melody, of Marietta; three granddaughters, Lori (Larry) Hendershot, Melissa (Matt) Hartline, Katherine (Matt) Hendershot, all of Marietta; five great-grandchildren, Dylan, Emma, and Grace Hartline, Leigha Hendershot and Matilyn Hendershot, all at home. He is also survived by a brother, Earl J. (Joan) of Lowell; sisters, Marcella Scott of Akron, Joan Rech, Dorothy (Richard) Stauch, sister-in-law, Clara Smith, all of Marietta, brother-in-law Dean (Carolyn) Becker, sister-in-law Ruth (Hollie) Handschumacher, all of Whipple; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his daughter, Barbara Jean, in 1965; his parents; two brothers, Robert and Paul; brothers-in-law, Walter Scott and John Rech; and sister-in-law, Alta Smith.
William P. Smith, 87, of East Bethel Church Road, Gallipolis, died at Holzer Senior Care on Saturday (Oct. 2, 2010).
Bill was born Aug. 9, 1923, to Earl A. and Hilma M. Smith at Lowell, Ohio, in Washington County. He was a graduate of Marietta High School in 1940, and received his bachelor of science degree in agriculture from The Ohio State University in 1947. He also completed his master's degree in agricultural economics at OSU in 1968. He served three years (1943-1946) in the U.S. Army in World War II and saw combat duty with the Eighth Armored Division in the European theatre of operations. He was honorably discharged with the rank of sergeant.
He was employed by the Ohio Cooperative Extension Service, where he worked for 32 years before his retirement in 1979. His extension work took him across a 13-county region in the southeastern part of Ohio. He served as the County Extension Agent for Agriculture in Scioto County from August 1947 through May 31, 1948. He transferred to Gallia County on June 1, 1948, where he served until Sept. 30, 1965, when he took a sabbatical leave for study. Returning Jan. 1, 1966, Bill served as Area Extension Agent for Farm Management out of the Jackson Ohio Area Extension Center until his retirement on Jan. 31, 1979.
In 1961, Bill received the Distinguished Service Award from the National Association of County Agriculture Agents. He was actively involved with all aspects of agricultural life in Gallia County working with farm families, FFA members and 4-H youth. He has been described as the "father" of the Gallia County Junior Fair which was founded in 1950 under his leadership. Bill served as a member of the board of directors of Buckeye Rural Electric, a member of the board of directors of the Gallia County Ag Center, and held various offices with the Ohio County Agents Association. He was a member of Grace United Methodist Church for over 50 years and had taught Sunday school, served as Sunday school superintendent and served on various committees at the church.
He married the former Dorothy Becker of Whipple (Washington County) on July 19, 1947, and she survives him.
Bill is survived by a son, Roger and his wife, Melody, of Marietta; three granddaughters, Lori (Larry) Hendershot, Melissa (Matt) Hartline, Katherine (Matt) Hendershot, all of Marietta; five great-grandchildren, Dylan, Emma, and Grace Hartline, Leigha Hendershot and Matilyn Hendershot, all at home. He is also survived by a brother, Earl J. (Joan) of Lowell; sisters, Marcella Scott of Akron, Joan Rech, Dorothy (Richard) Stauch, sister-in-law, Clara Smith, all of Marietta, brother-in-law Dean (Carolyn) Becker, sister-in-law Ruth (Hollie) Handschumacher, all of Whipple; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his daughter, Barbara Jean, in 1965; his parents; two brothers, Robert and Paul; brothers-in-law, Walter Scott and John Rech; and sister-in-law, Alta Smith.
Bill was born Aug. 9, 1923, to Earl A. and Hilma M. Smith at Lowell, Ohio, in Washington County. He was a graduate of Marietta High School in 1940, and received his bachelor of science degree in agriculture from The Ohio State University in 1947. He also completed his master's degree in agricultural economics at OSU in 1968. He served three years (1943-1946) in the U.S. Army in World War II and saw combat duty with the Eighth Armored Division in the European theatre of operations. He was honorably discharged with the rank of sergeant.
He was employed by the Ohio Cooperative Extension Service, where he worked for 32 years before his retirement in 1979. His extension work took him across a 13-county region in the southeastern part of Ohio. He served as the County Extension Agent for Agriculture in Scioto County from August 1947 through May 31, 1948. He transferred to Gallia County on June 1, 1948, where he served until Sept. 30, 1965, when he took a sabbatical leave for study. Returning Jan. 1, 1966, Bill served as Area Extension Agent for Farm Management out of the Jackson Ohio Area Extension Center until his retirement on Jan. 31, 1979.
In 1961, Bill received the Distinguished Service Award from the National Association of County Agriculture Agents. He was actively involved with all aspects of agricultural life in Gallia County working with farm families, FFA members and 4-H youth. He has been described as the "father" of the Gallia County Junior Fair which was founded in 1950 under his leadership. Bill served as a member of the board of directors of Buckeye Rural Electric, a member of the board of directors of the Gallia County Ag Center, and held various offices with the Ohio County Agents Association. He was a member of Grace United Methodist Church for over 50 years and had taught Sunday school, served as Sunday school superintendent and served on various committees at the church.
He married the former Dorothy Becker of Whipple (Washington County) on July 19, 1947, and she survives him.
Bill is survived by a son, Roger and his wife, Melody, of Marietta; three granddaughters, Lori (Larry) Hendershot, Melissa (Matt) Hartline, Katherine (Matt) Hendershot, all of Marietta; five great-grandchildren, Dylan, Emma, and Grace Hartline, Leigha Hendershot and Matilyn Hendershot, all at home. He is also survived by a brother, Earl J. (Joan) of Lowell; sisters, Marcella Scott of Akron, Joan Rech, Dorothy (Richard) Stauch, sister-in-law, Clara Smith, all of Marietta, brother-in-law Dean (Carolyn) Becker, sister-in-law Ruth (Hollie) Handschumacher, all of Whipple; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his daughter, Barbara Jean, in 1965; his parents; two brothers, Robert and Paul; brothers-in-law, Walter Scott and John Rech; and sister-in-law, Alta Smith.
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