Memorials › Gerald Eldon Smith

Gerald Eldon Smith

14 Feb 1920 – 15 Apr 2001

Birth	14 Feb 1920
Death	15 Apr 2001
Cemetery	Houston National Cemetery Houston , Harris County , Texas , USA
Added by	✞eam ✞ღLo❤ on 09 Sep 2017
FaG	https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/72742355

Bio

Gerald Eldon Smith, "Eldon", 81, of Baytown, went to be with Jesus on Easter Sunday, April 15, 2001. Born February 14, 1920, in Udall, Kansas, Eldon was raised on a farm, attended Kansas country schools until high school, where he played football and graduated from Mulvane High. In 1929, he went to San Diego, California to Swallow Aircraft School after his dad sold a cow to pay for his tuition. He graduated from Biola Bible College in California. In his early married life, he pastored three churches: in Hosington, Marion, and Parkerville, Kansas. Eldon enjoyed aircraft work - Douglas Aircraft Corp, 1939-42, the U.S. Air Corp. from 1942-45, Beechcraft, Corp. 1950-53, General Motors, Corp. 1954-56, and Howard Aero Manufacturing, Inc., 1956-58. He was very patriotic and took advantage of every opportunity to fly the flag. During WW II, he served his country on the flight line working on the B-17's. Eldon lived most of his life in Houston. He worked as a welder, building ships at Todd Shipyard in Houston, and then for Big Three Industries where he retired at the age of 67. He was an avid sports fan and after retirement worked seven years at the Houston Astrodome, taking tickets at the east gate. Eldon enjoyed music, playing the harmonica, the musical saw, and Hawaiian steel guitar. He was a "jack-of-all-trades". He especially loved gardening, carpentry, and building clocks - his grandfather clock being his favorite. At the age of 76, he became a computer e-mail fanatic. He moved to Baytown eight years ago; his home church was Memorial Assembly of God. Eldon was preceded in death by his first wife of fifty-four years, Zera Oneita Garrett, and sister, Doris Coleman, and son-in-law, Richard N. Scott. Survivors include his wife, Geneva Waldrep Alderson Smith, brother, Wayne Smith of Sun City, Arizona; sister, Lilith Howard of Mulvane, Kansas; and sister, Adenia and brother-in-law, Wayne Howard of Hutchinson, Kansas; daughters and sons-in-law, Sharon Joy and Jim Raber of Minneapolis, Minnesota; Jana and Ron Wiggins of Houston; Carol and Anthony Gwosdz of Houston; sons and daughters-in-law, Steve and Karen of Baytown; Daniel and Elizabeth of Houston; Philip and Patti of League City; and David and Jennifer of Pasadena, Texas; step-children, Vonda and Roland Ouellette, Carolyn and Ed Chase, and Janice and Reese Smart, twenty-five grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, numerous step-grand and great-grandchildren. Pallbearers will be Dustin Gwosdz, Drew Smith, Russell Smith, Tim Wiggins, Steve Wiggins, Mark Scott, and honorary pallbearers, Richard Scott, and Matt Scott. The theme of Eldon's life was Jn. 3:30 "He must increase, but I must decrease". Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. today, April 18, at the Navarre Funeral Home. Funeral services will take place at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Navarre Chapel with Rev. Gordon Barnett and Rev. Ava Lee Woods officiating. Burial will follow at Houston National Cemetery. Services under the direction of Navarre Funeral Home, 2444 Rollingbrook, Baytown, 281-422-8111. Published Wednesday, April 18, 2001 in The Baytown Sun

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US ARMY AIR FORCES - WORLD WAR II

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