Gordon Eugene Smith

Smith Gordon Eugene Smith of Westerville, born March 6, 1948, passed away quietly Thursday, March 21, 2013, while comforted by the long lasting love and presence of his former wife, Marcella B. May, at his side. During his recent illness, he was always sustained by thoughts of his precious "Tuxedo" feline Happy Cat Reagan and the special memories of his other beloved pets over the years. He was preceded in death by his father Lieutenant Colonel Jerome F. Smith, and his mother Virginia Eileen Canaday Smith. Gordon is survived by brother, Gerald Francis Smith, of Barnesville, Ohio. After attending Cherry Hill High-East High School in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, he graduated in 1966 from Westerville South High School. Gordon then attended The Ohio State University. He graduated from University of California - Irving in 1989. In 1977, Gordon became one of the first 177 ASNT Certified NDT Level III engineers. As a Forensic and Non Destructive Testing Engineer, Gordon's construction background was international in scope having worked early in his career for Marion Power Shovel on the construction and erection of strip mining machines and facilities in the US, Canada, Morocco and South Africa, New Guinea and Australia. He then joined GE: Plastics, Chemical & Metallurgical, Specialty Materials (Diamond) Business Division at the Worthington Huntley Road facility where he developed means of evaluating "liners" used in Diamond growth pressure vessels resulting in substantial reduction in Diamond manufacturing cost and a significantly high level of business growth for GE. Working for GE: SuperAbrasives he promoted growth of the diamond division as field testing engineer and finally a project general manager in Ireland, Japan and ROS: Republic of Singapore. In 1989, he joined the American Society for Nondestructive Testing in the area of personnel certification and qualification until leaving in 1994. He worked at PSI, Inc. from 1994 to 2009. Thereafter upon joining H.C.Nutting Co. he was the design consultant and on-site advisor for many of the CAT, MRI and PET facilities and heart catherization laboratories at OSU and many local and central Ohio area hospitals. Gordon was most recently Senior Engineer with the civil engineering firm of Jones-Stuckey Ltd., Inc. until his retirement. On the educational side Gordon has supported the OSU 4-H Engineering Welding Program and the "Buckeye Bullet" project. Gordon served as a professional witness for the Ohio School Facilities Commission/Ohio Attorney General in contractor fraud detection in both materials and financial matters. He has authored numerous publications on inspection trends, magnetic particle testing, detection and prevention of galvanization related cracking in bridge structures. Other activities include member of the National Certification Board of The American Society of Nondestructive Testing, Inc. 1990 - 1993; member of Board of Directors and Treasurer MTIR: Materials Testing Internet Resources, Inc. 1995 - 1998; member - US ISO-Technical Advisory Group TC-137 with National Institute of Science & Technology 1990 - 1993; Director of Process Innovation The CIMTEMS Group, Inc. 1985 -1994; Director of Technology Development at Aviation Safety Institute 1985 - 1995; Engineering Programs Development Committee at Columbus State Community College 1989 - 1995; member of Welding Program Development Committee at Columbus Career Center 2007 - 2009. Gordon is also a Patron of the National Rifle Association of America. Gordon's extensive knowledge and expertise in the field of forensic nondestructive testing and materials science has always been considered highly regarded and valued as a genuinely reliable source of information and education for many of his colleagues and associates over the years. His contributions and vast knowledge will be missed by many. Visitation hours will be Monday, March 25, 2013, from 4-7 p.m. at the HILL FUNERAL HOME, 2020 South State Street, Westerville, Ohio where the funeral service will take place at 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 26, 2013. Interment will follow at the Hartford Cemetery, Croton, Ohio.