LIMINGTON- John A. Smith passed away on March 14 at home in Limington, Maine. He is missed by his wife of 65 years, Carolyn, his two sons, and their families, including three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
John was born on July 24, 1933, to Clarence Allen and Marjorie (Gow) Smith in Sanford, Maine. He lived most of his childhood in Limerick, Maine, and was a member of the 6-person graduating class from Limerick High School in 1952. He enlisted in the Navy after graduation and served four years, primarily aboard the heavy cruiser CA72, the USS Pittsburgh.
After being honorably discharged from the Navy, John took a job as a licensed Stationary Engineer at Wellesley College, where he met Carolyn, who was working as a baker in the college kitchens. The two bonded over apple pie and were married in 1958.
John and Carolyn raised their two sons, Allan Clark (born 1959) and Harold Mervyn (born 1961), in Hopkinton and Southwick, Massachusetts. John worked as an engineer at Worcester Gas Light Company, General Motors, HP Hood, and Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company, where he spent 28 years before retiring in 1995 as a corrosion control specialist. Upon retirement, John and Carolyn moved back to Limington, where they enjoyed the simple gifts of life in southern Maine, while also enjoying travel to Alaska, the Rockies, and Canada.
John dedicated much of his life to civic causes. While his sons were young, he was involved in the Boy Scouts, serving as a scout leader and taking the boys on many adventures. He was a member of the Grange in Castine, Maine, for more than 50 years, achieving the “Gold Leaf Medal”, a member of the American Legion and served on the Tibbets Memorial Committee.
His greatest passion, after his family, was Freemasonry. He held numerous offices with distinction in several lodges over more than 56 years of membership. He was Master of the John Warren Lodge in Hopkinton, Massachusetts in 1985 and went on to serve as an officer in the Grand Lodges of both Massachusetts and Maine. He will be remembered fondly by those he led and mentored as a Lodge Officer in the lodges around his home in Limington.
In his spare time, John was an avid collector of antique Allis Chalmers tractors. He collected and restored 20 tractors over several decades, many of which he entered in shows throughout New England. He also enjoyed hunting big game and white-tailed deer.
John is predeceased by his sister, Joy Driscoll, and his daughter-in-law, Cindy Smith. He is remembered by his wife, Carolyn; his son Allan, of Shelburne, Massachusetts; his son Harold, his daughter-in-law Pamela Adlersmith, and his granddaughter Rosalie of Marlboro, Vermont; his grandson Nathan and Nathan’s wife Marjorie and two sons, Rhett and Garth, of Colrain, Massachusetts; his granddaughter Jenny, of Arlington, Virginia; and the many people whose lives he touched through Scouts, Grange, and Masons.
Visitation will be held on Friday March 17 at the Poitras, Neal & York Funeral Home, 71 Maple St., Cornish, from 6 -7 PM, followed by a Masonic Funeral Service at 7 PM. After the conclusion of the Masonic Service, there will be an opportunity for folks to share their special memories of John.
A graveside service will be held on Friday May 19th at 2 PM with US NAVY Honors at Castine Town Cemetery, Castine, Maine
In lieu of flowers please consider making a donation to the Limington Fire and Emergency Medical Service at 425 Sokokis Avenue, Limington, ME 04049, or the charity of your choice.