Gay W. Smith
Gay W. Smith, 95, died peacefully at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2020, at his Columbia City home in the company of family.
He was born Feb. 6, 1925, in South Whitley, a son of the late Garland Albert and Minerva L. (Colvin) Smith. He spent his formative years in Richland Township, where he attended Larwill High School. In 1946, he moved to Thorncreek Township. In 1963, he moved to Goose Lake.
In addition to a farmhand, he worked at Snyder’s Garage, Pierceton, as a mechanic, then the former LML, Columbia City; JI Case, Churubusco; and then Dana Corporation, Fort Wayne, where he retired in 1990 with 28 ½ years of service. In his retirement, he continued to assist his nephews with their farming operation.
On Dec. 18, 1971, he married Rosalie J. Wolfe McKenzie at the Kingdom Hall in Columbia City.
They made their home at Goose Lake until 2016, when they moved to Columbia City.
He enjoyed fishing at every opportunity and traveling with his wife and family. They visited the Philippines and had traveled most of the contiguous United States and Canada. He volunteered his time constructing Kingdom Halls.
He loved Jehovah and reading the Bible. He treated his wife and family with the same love and respect. He was a regular and active member of the Jehovah’s Witness throughout his life.
He is survived by his wife of 48 years: Rosalie; children: Sandra Geiger Murphy, Warsaw; Faye C. (Rodney) Shull, Larwill; Steve McKenzie, Fort Wayne; David W. (Terry) Smith, Dublin, Ohio; Lisa A. (Robert) Spyker, Defiance, Ohio; and Gayle M. (Robert) Smith-Wells, Jefferson City, Tenn.; grandchildren: Shannon Geiger, Jeremy (Kristie) Geiger, Chris (Selena) Geiger, Troy (Jennifer) Geiger, Tammy Shull, Brian (Holly) Shull, Abigail (Patrick) Yeater, Keturah (Morgan) Kuckuck and Caleb Spyker; 20 great-grandchildren; and a brother: Garland Lee Smith, New York.
He was preceded in death by a brother: Conrad Smith; and a sister: Donna Rae Heimlich.
A Zoom memorial service will be held online by the Edgewood Kingdom Hall at 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5.
Memorials in Gay’s honor are to donate.jw.org.