Caring funeral director also volunteered in the community
West Brighton resident Herbert Smith III, 57, a lifelong Staten Islander and owner of the Meislohn-Silvie Funeral Home in Port Richmond, died Friday at home following a long battle with cancer.
Born in Tompkinsville, he moved with his family to West Brighton at a very young age.
He graduated from Curtis High School and earned a degree in mortuary science in 1974 from the State University of New York at Farmingdale.
Mr. Smith began his funeral service career in 1971 at the Casey Funeral Home at its former Tompkinsville location. In 1976, he went to work for the Meislohn-Silvie Funeral Home and became its manager in 1981.
He eventually purchased the business from Kenneth Decker in 1997, and dedicated his life to the funeral industry and the families he served.
Mr. Smith was a member of the New York State Funeral Directors Association; the Metropolitan Funeral Directors Association; the National Funeral Directors Association; the British Institute of Embalmers, and was the president and a founding member of the Family-Owned Funeral Directors Association of Staten Island.
DEDICATED VOLUNTEER
Mr. Smith was a member of the North Shore Rotary Club, and served as its president from 2005 to 2006. The group honored him with its Paul Harris Fellow, the high Rotary honor.
He was a member of the LaGuardia Lodge of Free Masons, where he was a Tryian chapter Royal Arch Mason.
He was president and board member of the former Swedish Home for the Aged in Sunnyside and was an associate and sponsor for the Miss Staten Island Pageant.
He was also a former member of the board of directors for the Juvenile Diabetes Association of Staten Island, and served as president of the Bruce G. Geary Foundation, a charitable organization for animal welfare.
He was honored by the group, Chrissy and Friends, for helping people with epilepsy. Christ Episcopal Church, New Brighton, also honored him for his years of community service.
Mr. Smith was a former member of the St. Roch's R.C. Church Advisory Board; a member of the Richmond Interparish Council, and St. Thomas Church, Manhattan.
He was a parishioner of St. Mary's Episcopal Church, West Brighton, where he served as warden for more than 20 years and was a member of the vestry. St. Mary's also recently honored Mr. Smith by dedicating a religious icon — a painting on wood — for his past, present and future endeavors.
HOSTED FUNDRAISERS
Mr. Smith and his wife enjoyed hosting various fundraising events for charities in their home. He also loved reading autobiographies; collecting rare coins and royal commemorative items, and antiques. He also enjoyed reading about the life of Winston Churchill.
He enjoyed vacationing at his family home in Cape Cod, Mass., and winter vacations in Siesta Key, Fla. He also enjoyed traveling, having visited various parts of the United States and Europe, especially Germany because he was proud of his German heritage.
Mr. Smith loved Christmas. He enjoyed decorating for the holidays, playing St. Nicholas at his church, and opening his home during the Christmas season to family and friends. He was a collector of Santa statues and figurines and had more than 100 displayed in his home during the Christmas season.
"My husband has been a tremendous inspiration to me, my family and friends in the way he handled living with cancer for the last four years," said his wife of 33 years, Barbara. "We love him and miss him dearly and will always remember his unselfish guidance."
"Our father had an amazing sense of humor and loved to tell jokes and fool around to make people laugh," said his sons, Herb and Matthew. "He always wanted to make people smile and laugh. He was a great man and will be deeply missed. He was the patriarch of his family and was loved all of his family."
In addition to his wife, Barbara, and his sons, Herbert IV and Matthew A., surviving are his father, Herbert Jr., and two sisters, Susan E. Smith and Kim E. Yarns.
The funeral will be Tuesday from the Meislohn-Silvie Home for Funerals, Port Richmond, with a service at 11 a.m. in St. Mary's Episcopal Church, West Brighton. Burial will be in Moravian Cemetery, New Dorp.
West Brighton resident Herbert Smith III, 57, a lifelong Staten Islander and owner of the Meislohn-Silvie Funeral Home in Port Richmond, died Friday at home following a long battle with cancer.
Born in Tompkinsville, he moved with his family to West Brighton at a very young age.
He graduated from Curtis High School and earned a degree in mortuary science in 1974 from the State University of New York at Farmingdale.
Mr. Smith began his funeral service career in 1971 at the Casey Funeral Home at its former Tompkinsville location. In 1976, he went to work for the Meislohn-Silvie Funeral Home and became its manager in 1981.
He eventually purchased the business from Kenneth Decker in 1997, and dedicated his life to the funeral industry and the families he served.
Mr. Smith was a member of the New York State Funeral Directors Association; the Metropolitan Funeral Directors Association; the National Funeral Directors Association; the British Institute of Embalmers, and was the president and a founding member of the Family-Owned Funeral Directors Association of Staten Island.
DEDICATED VOLUNTEER
Mr. Smith was a member of the North Shore Rotary Club, and served as its president from 2005 to 2006. The group honored him with its Paul Harris Fellow, the high Rotary honor.
He was a member of the LaGuardia Lodge of Free Masons, where he was a Tryian chapter Royal Arch Mason.
He was president and board member of the former Swedish Home for the Aged in Sunnyside and was an associate and sponsor for the Miss Staten Island Pageant.
He was also a former member of the board of directors for the Juvenile Diabetes Association of Staten Island, and served as president of the Bruce G. Geary Foundation, a charitable organization for animal welfare.
He was honored by the group, Chrissy and Friends, for helping people with epilepsy. Christ Episcopal Church, New Brighton, also honored him for his years of community service.
Mr. Smith was a former member of the St. Roch's R.C. Church Advisory Board; a member of the Richmond Interparish Council, and St. Thomas Church, Manhattan.
He was a parishioner of St. Mary's Episcopal Church, West Brighton, where he served as warden for more than 20 years and was a member of the vestry. St. Mary's also recently honored Mr. Smith by dedicating a religious icon — a painting on wood — for his past, present and future endeavors.
HOSTED FUNDRAISERS
Mr. Smith and his wife enjoyed hosting various fundraising events for charities in their home. He also loved reading autobiographies; collecting rare coins and royal commemorative items, and antiques. He also enjoyed reading about the life of Winston Churchill.
He enjoyed vacationing at his family home in Cape Cod, Mass., and winter vacations in Siesta Key, Fla. He also enjoyed traveling, having visited various parts of the United States and Europe, especially Germany because he was proud of his German heritage.
Mr. Smith loved Christmas. He enjoyed decorating for the holidays, playing St. Nicholas at his church, and opening his home during the Christmas season to family and friends. He was a collector of Santa statues and figurines and had more than 100 displayed in his home during the Christmas season.
"My husband has been a tremendous inspiration to me, my family and friends in the way he handled living with cancer for the last four years," said his wife of 33 years, Barbara. "We love him and miss him dearly and will always remember his unselfish guidance."
"Our father had an amazing sense of humor and loved to tell jokes and fool around to make people laugh," said his sons, Herb and Matthew. "He always wanted to make people smile and laugh. He was a great man and will be deeply missed. He was the patriarch of his family and was loved all of his family."
In addition to his wife, Barbara, and his sons, Herbert IV and Matthew A., surviving are his father, Herbert Jr., and two sisters, Susan E. Smith and Kim E. Yarns.
The funeral will be Tuesday from the Meislohn-Silvie Home for Funerals, Port Richmond, with a service at 11 a.m. in St. Mary's Episcopal Church, West Brighton. Burial will be in Moravian Cemetery, New Dorp.
Caring funeral director also volunteered in the community
West Brighton resident Herbert Smith III, 57, a lifelong Staten Islander and owner of the Meislohn-Silvie Funeral Home in Port Richmond, died Friday at home following a long battle with cancer.
Born in Tompkinsville, he moved with his family to West Brighton at a very young age.
He graduated from Curtis High School and earned a degree in mortuary science in 1974 from the State University of New York at Farmingdale.
Mr. Smith began his funeral service career in 1971 at the Casey Funeral Home at its former Tompkinsville location. In 1976, he went to work for the Meislohn-Silvie Funeral Home and became its manager in 1981.
He eventually purchased the business from Kenneth Decker in 1997, and dedicated his life to the funeral industry and the families he served.
Mr. Smith was a member of the New York State Funeral Directors Association; the Metropolitan Funeral Directors Association; the National Funeral Directors Association; the British Institute of Embalmers, and was the president and a founding member of the Family-Owned Funeral Directors Association of Staten Island.
DEDICATED VOLUNTEER
Mr. Smith was a member of the North Shore Rotary Club, and served as its president from 2005 to 2006. The group honored him with its Paul Harris Fellow, the high Rotary honor.
He was a member of the LaGuardia Lodge of Free Masons, where he was a Tryian chapter Royal Arch Mason.
He was president and board member of the former Swedish Home for the Aged in Sunnyside and was an associate and sponsor for the Miss Staten Island Pageant.
He was also a former member of the board of directors for the Juvenile Diabetes Association of Staten Island, and served as president of the Bruce G. Geary Foundation, a charitable organization for animal welfare.
He was honored by the group, Chrissy and Friends, for helping people with epilepsy. Christ Episcopal Church, New Brighton, also honored him for his years of community service.
Mr. Smith was a former member of the St. Roch's R.C. Church Advisory Board; a member of the Richmond Interparish Council, and St. Thomas Church, Manhattan.
He was a parishioner of St. Mary's Episcopal Church, West Brighton, where he served as warden for more than 20 years and was a member of the vestry. St. Mary's also recently honored Mr. Smith by dedicating a religious icon — a painting on wood — for his past, present and future endeavors.
HOSTED FUNDRAISERS
Mr. Smith and his wife enjoyed hosting various fundraising events for charities in their home. He also loved reading autobiographies; collecting rare coins and royal commemorative items, and antiques. He also enjoyed reading about the life of Winston Churchill.
He enjoyed vacationing at his family home in Cape Cod, Mass., and winter vacations in Siesta Key, Fla. He also enjoyed traveling, having visited various parts of the United States and Europe, especially Germany because he was proud of his German heritage.
Mr. Smith loved Christmas. He enjoyed decorating for the holidays, playing St. Nicholas at his church, and opening his home during the Christmas season to family and friends. He was a collector of Santa statues and figurines and had more than 100 displayed in his home during the Christmas season.
"My husband has been a tremendous inspiration to me, my family and friends in the way he handled living with cancer for the last four years," said his wife of 33 years, Barbara. "We love him and miss him dearly and will always remember his unselfish guidance."
"Our father had an amazing sense of humor and loved to tell jokes and fool around to make people laugh," said his sons, Herb and Matthew. "He always wanted to make people smile and laugh. He was a great man and will be deeply missed. He was the patriarch of his family and was loved all of his family."
In addition to his wife, Barbara, and his sons, Herbert IV and Matthew A., surviving are his father, Herbert Jr., and two sisters, Susan E. Smith and Kim E. Yarns.
The funeral will be Tuesday from the Meislohn-Silvie Home for Funerals, Port Richmond, with a service at 11 a.m. in St. Mary's Episcopal Church, West Brighton. Burial will be in Moravian Cemetery, New Dorp.
West Brighton resident Herbert Smith III, 57, a lifelong Staten Islander and owner of the Meislohn-Silvie Funeral Home in Port Richmond, died Friday at home following a long battle with cancer.
Born in Tompkinsville, he moved with his family to West Brighton at a very young age.
He graduated from Curtis High School and earned a degree in mortuary science in 1974 from the State University of New York at Farmingdale.
Mr. Smith began his funeral service career in 1971 at the Casey Funeral Home at its former Tompkinsville location. In 1976, he went to work for the Meislohn-Silvie Funeral Home and became its manager in 1981.
He eventually purchased the business from Kenneth Decker in 1997, and dedicated his life to the funeral industry and the families he served.
Mr. Smith was a member of the New York State Funeral Directors Association; the Metropolitan Funeral Directors Association; the National Funeral Directors Association; the British Institute of Embalmers, and was the president and a founding member of the Family-Owned Funeral Directors Association of Staten Island.
DEDICATED VOLUNTEER
Mr. Smith was a member of the North Shore Rotary Club, and served as its president from 2005 to 2006. The group honored him with its Paul Harris Fellow, the high Rotary honor.
He was a member of the LaGuardia Lodge of Free Masons, where he was a Tryian chapter Royal Arch Mason.
He was president and board member of the former Swedish Home for the Aged in Sunnyside and was an associate and sponsor for the Miss Staten Island Pageant.
He was also a former member of the board of directors for the Juvenile Diabetes Association of Staten Island, and served as president of the Bruce G. Geary Foundation, a charitable organization for animal welfare.
He was honored by the group, Chrissy and Friends, for helping people with epilepsy. Christ Episcopal Church, New Brighton, also honored him for his years of community service.
Mr. Smith was a former member of the St. Roch's R.C. Church Advisory Board; a member of the Richmond Interparish Council, and St. Thomas Church, Manhattan.
He was a parishioner of St. Mary's Episcopal Church, West Brighton, where he served as warden for more than 20 years and was a member of the vestry. St. Mary's also recently honored Mr. Smith by dedicating a religious icon — a painting on wood — for his past, present and future endeavors.
HOSTED FUNDRAISERS
Mr. Smith and his wife enjoyed hosting various fundraising events for charities in their home. He also loved reading autobiographies; collecting rare coins and royal commemorative items, and antiques. He also enjoyed reading about the life of Winston Churchill.
He enjoyed vacationing at his family home in Cape Cod, Mass., and winter vacations in Siesta Key, Fla. He also enjoyed traveling, having visited various parts of the United States and Europe, especially Germany because he was proud of his German heritage.
Mr. Smith loved Christmas. He enjoyed decorating for the holidays, playing St. Nicholas at his church, and opening his home during the Christmas season to family and friends. He was a collector of Santa statues and figurines and had more than 100 displayed in his home during the Christmas season.
"My husband has been a tremendous inspiration to me, my family and friends in the way he handled living with cancer for the last four years," said his wife of 33 years, Barbara. "We love him and miss him dearly and will always remember his unselfish guidance."
"Our father had an amazing sense of humor and loved to tell jokes and fool around to make people laugh," said his sons, Herb and Matthew. "He always wanted to make people smile and laugh. He was a great man and will be deeply missed. He was the patriarch of his family and was loved all of his family."
In addition to his wife, Barbara, and his sons, Herbert IV and Matthew A., surviving are his father, Herbert Jr., and two sisters, Susan E. Smith and Kim E. Yarns.
The funeral will be Tuesday from the Meislohn-Silvie Home for Funerals, Port Richmond, with a service at 11 a.m. in St. Mary's Episcopal Church, West Brighton. Burial will be in Moravian Cemetery, New Dorp.
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