John Robert Smith

January 17, 1918 – October 27, 2013

John Robert Smith, 95, a life-long resident of Walton died peacefully at his home on Sunday morning, October 27, 2013. The eldest of five children, he was born on January 17, 1918 to Merle Salton Smith and John W. Smith. The family soon added sisters Margaret (Hawkins) and Mary (VerValin) and later grew to include sisters Marjorie (Webb) and Virginia (Peck); all have predeceased him.

In early childhood prior to school, Bob spent a lot time with his grandfather, John D. Smith at the farm on East Brook Road among a tight knit family of aunts, uncles and cousins. Born into a Scottish Presbyterian family with a strong work ethic, at the age of four, he began chopping wood and taking care of chickens at his home on 23 Liberty Street. While in elementary school, Bob peddled flyers for the Walton Theater in exchange for free movie tickets. He regaled many with his boyhood stories of Walton when horses and cars shared the streets of a bustling vibrant small town filled with an assortment of small town characters. As an adolescent, Bob attended Walton High School and worked for his father at Bronson Smith Motors (present day McDonalds). He graduated from General Motors Institute (now Kettering University) in Flint, MI in 1938 and returned to Walton and to Bronson Smith Motors.

He was in the United States Army for five years during World War II and was stationed in North Carolina and Texas prior to deployment to Europe and in the Army he was called "John." John learned to cut hair to earn extra pocket change and sent $500 back to Walton from haircut money at $ .25 head. His 89th Infantry unit liberated Ohrdruf, the first concentration camp discovered and Technical Sergeant John Smith witnessed the full horror of the Holocaust and determined to never marry or have children because the world was not a fit place.

Upon discharge from the Army, John returned to Walton and met the love of his life, a new teacher in town, Miss Doris Scanlon. They married at St. Cecelia's Roman Catholic Church in Solvay, NY on October 11, 1952. The couple moved into their home on Bruce Street in 1954 with newborn daughter Anne. When his father retired from Bronson Smith Motors, Bob went to work as a master mechanic, welder and machine operator on area roadwork and dam construction projects and eventually became a member of the Union of Operating Engineers.

Due to the seasonal nature of construction work, in 1964 he opened the J.R. Smith Body Shop on Franklin Road specializing in wheel alignment, painting, body work and auto glass repairs. He retired from construction in the early 1980's and later sold his shop to Steve Palmer in 1986. Always an avid reader, in retirement, he became increasingly interested in using video recorders to tape TV programs and he assembled quite a collection of Video Cassette Recorders, rewinders, and assorted paraphernalia much to the consternation of his wife Doris.

J.R. Smith is survived by his daughter, Anne Smith and son-in-law, Bill McQuay of Ithaca, NY; his niece, who was like a daughter to him in his later years, Virginia Betsy (Art) Munn, Walton, NY; and close friends Karen and Gary Koenig of Walton, NY. Additional nieces and nephews include; Ellen (Mark) Rienhardt of Syracuse, NY; Nancy (David) Gleason of Walton, NY; Janie (Mike) Eskow and John Hawkins of Federalsburg, MD; Mark VerValin of Baltimore, MD and nephew David VerValin of New Port Richey, FL; Kathy Lee of Franklin, NY; Will (Cornelia) Peck of Buffalo, NY; Bob (Katrina) Peck of NJ.

Calling hours will be at the Courtney Funeral Home on Friday, November 1, 2013 from 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. followed by a 12:00 noon graveside service at the Walton Cemetery. When comforting a grieving daughter, JR explained mourning by telling her, " there will always be a hole in your heart but after a while the edges won't be so sharp."

In lieu of flowers, please consider contributions in memory of

J. Robert and Doris Smith

Catskill Area Hospice

116 Main Street,

Delhi, NY 13753;

or

the St. Baldrick Foundation to fight childhood cancer fund in memory of great nephew Craig Rienhardt

The St Baldrick Foundation

1333 South Mayflower Ave. Suite 400

Monrovia, California 91016;

or

the Wounded Warrior Project in memory of his great nephew Adam Munn

Wounded Warrior Project

4899 Belfort Road Suite 300

Jacksonville, FL 32256