[FONT="]Vernon Smith Jr.[/FONT]
[FONT="]May 14, 1932 - February 1, 2021[/FONT]
[FONT="]Surrounded by family, friends, and immeasurable amounts of love, U.S. Army Major (Retired) E. Vernon "Smitty" Smith Jr., passed away on Monday, February 1, 2021, after a devastatingly brief week-long fight with small-cell lung cancer.[/FONT]
[FONT="]This tribute comes four months after E.V.'s passing due to his family's overwhelming shock from the unexpected diagnosis and outcome.[/FONT]
[FONT="]The world is dimmer without E.V.'s sarcasm, quick wit, and love for animals. His many achievements and diverse passions afforded him a storied life rich with relationships.[/FONT]
[FONT="]E.V. was born on May 14, 1932, in Gary, Ind., to Elmer Vernon Smith and Hazel Bundy Smith. E.V. grew up helping at his dad's shoe shop in Franklin, Ind., and graduated from Franklin High School in 1950. E.V. attended junior college at the Marion Military Institute in Ala., before attending Indiana University in 1951. A member of IU's fencing team, E.V. graduated in 1954 through the Army's ROTC program with a B.S. in Business.[/FONT]
[FONT="]After beginning his Army commission with the 82nd Airborne Division and completing Jumpmaster's school in 1955, E.V. served in Korea in 1956 as the executive officer of the 24th Infantry Division Replacement Company, stationed 15 miles south of the 38th parallel.[/FONT]
[FONT="]After nearly six years of active-duty service, E.V. served in the Army Reserve, eventually moving to Richmond, Va., as an auditor for the State of Virginia. E.V. retired from the Army in 1976 and moved to Charlottesville, Va., to work as the business office manager at the University of Va.'s Department of Housing before retiring from the state in 1992.[/FONT]
[FONT="]E.V.'s lifelong passions included metal detecting for Civil War relics, firearms, photography, and fiction writing. E.V. was also a trumpeter, playing in municipal bands in Richmond and Charlottesville for nearly 45 years. Nothing slowed him down - he survived a night-jump ankle break, a traumatic brain injury at age 69, a broken left hip in 2019, and a broken right hip in 2020 during COVID-19.[/FONT]
[FONT="]E.V. was preceded in death by his wife, Linda Louise Schwarzenboeck Smith, his parents, and his infant brothers, David William Smith and Richard Bundy Smith.[/FONT]
[FONT="]E.V. is survived by his daughter, Rebecca L. Blackwell; son, Clay B. Smith and spouse, Debbie R. Smith; daughter, Jennifer Bundy Hoppe and spouse, Nicholas Allen Hoppe; daughter, Katherine Gar Ward and spouse, Walker Lee Ward; and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a celebration of E.V.'s life will be held when it is safe for family and friends to gather. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to several charities that represent E.V.'s ideals: The Tanzie Project, an animal nonprofit founded by his daughter, Katie; the Fluvanna County or Charlottesville SPCAs; Paralyzed Veterans of America, or Disabled American Veterans.[/FONT]
[FONT="]E.V.'s family offers their profound thanks and gratitude to his two caregivers during each hip recovery; his son-in-law Walker, and Ms. Jessica Davies, now considered part of the family. His family would also like to thank the many dedicated medical teams at the Charlottesville Veterans Affairs clinic, including Dr. Stephanie Shaw and Dr. Gerald Montoya; Charlottesville Health and Rehab; Encompass Home Health, and Hospice of the Piedmont.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Friends may send condolences to [email protected]. To read more about E.V.'s tour in Korea, visit bit.ly/smitty_korea.[/FONT]
[FONT="]May 14, 1932 - February 1, 2021[/FONT]
[FONT="]Surrounded by family, friends, and immeasurable amounts of love, U.S. Army Major (Retired) E. Vernon "Smitty" Smith Jr., passed away on Monday, February 1, 2021, after a devastatingly brief week-long fight with small-cell lung cancer.[/FONT]
[FONT="]This tribute comes four months after E.V.'s passing due to his family's overwhelming shock from the unexpected diagnosis and outcome.[/FONT]
[FONT="]The world is dimmer without E.V.'s sarcasm, quick wit, and love for animals. His many achievements and diverse passions afforded him a storied life rich with relationships.[/FONT]
[FONT="]E.V. was born on May 14, 1932, in Gary, Ind., to Elmer Vernon Smith and Hazel Bundy Smith. E.V. grew up helping at his dad's shoe shop in Franklin, Ind., and graduated from Franklin High School in 1950. E.V. attended junior college at the Marion Military Institute in Ala., before attending Indiana University in 1951. A member of IU's fencing team, E.V. graduated in 1954 through the Army's ROTC program with a B.S. in Business.[/FONT]
[FONT="]After beginning his Army commission with the 82nd Airborne Division and completing Jumpmaster's school in 1955, E.V. served in Korea in 1956 as the executive officer of the 24th Infantry Division Replacement Company, stationed 15 miles south of the 38th parallel.[/FONT]
[FONT="]After nearly six years of active-duty service, E.V. served in the Army Reserve, eventually moving to Richmond, Va., as an auditor for the State of Virginia. E.V. retired from the Army in 1976 and moved to Charlottesville, Va., to work as the business office manager at the University of Va.'s Department of Housing before retiring from the state in 1992.[/FONT]
[FONT="]E.V.'s lifelong passions included metal detecting for Civil War relics, firearms, photography, and fiction writing. E.V. was also a trumpeter, playing in municipal bands in Richmond and Charlottesville for nearly 45 years. Nothing slowed him down - he survived a night-jump ankle break, a traumatic brain injury at age 69, a broken left hip in 2019, and a broken right hip in 2020 during COVID-19.[/FONT]
[FONT="]E.V. was preceded in death by his wife, Linda Louise Schwarzenboeck Smith, his parents, and his infant brothers, David William Smith and Richard Bundy Smith.[/FONT]
[FONT="]E.V. is survived by his daughter, Rebecca L. Blackwell; son, Clay B. Smith and spouse, Debbie R. Smith; daughter, Jennifer Bundy Hoppe and spouse, Nicholas Allen Hoppe; daughter, Katherine Gar Ward and spouse, Walker Lee Ward; and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a celebration of E.V.'s life will be held when it is safe for family and friends to gather. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to several charities that represent E.V.'s ideals: The Tanzie Project, an animal nonprofit founded by his daughter, Katie; the Fluvanna County or Charlottesville SPCAs; Paralyzed Veterans of America, or Disabled American Veterans.[/FONT]
[FONT="]E.V.'s family offers their profound thanks and gratitude to his two caregivers during each hip recovery; his son-in-law Walker, and Ms. Jessica Davies, now considered part of the family. His family would also like to thank the many dedicated medical teams at the Charlottesville Veterans Affairs clinic, including Dr. Stephanie Shaw and Dr. Gerald Montoya; Charlottesville Health and Rehab; Encompass Home Health, and Hospice of the Piedmont.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Friends may send condolences to [email protected]. To read more about E.V.'s tour in Korea, visit bit.ly/smitty_korea.[/FONT]
