Glee S. Smith Jr.

1921 - 2015

LAWRENCE-Smith Jr., Glee S. 94, former Kansas State Senator, longtime Larned & Lawrence lawyer, died Nov. 16, 2015 in Lawrence. He was born in Rozel, April 29, 1921, the son of Glee S. Smith, Sr. & Bernice Augustine Smith. He was married to Geraldine Buhler at Trinity Episcopal Church in Lawrence, Dec. 14, 1943. They lived in Larned from 1947-1991, when they moved to Lawrence. He is survived by his wife of the home, sons, G. Sid Smith, III, of Alexandria, Virginia, Dr. Stephen (Laurie) B. Smith, Nebraska of Omaha, a daughter, Dr. Susan (Dr. James Moeser) K. Moeser; three grandchildren, Courtney (Graham) Smith Duncan of New York City, Jacob (Kim) B. Smith of Phoenix, Arizona, Dr. Kylie (John) Galfione of Houston, Texas, & their mother, Cheryl C Smith; 6 great granddaughters & 3 great grandsons. He was preceded in death by his parents & his brother, Arlyn G. Smith of Tucson, Arizona. Glee graduated from KU in 1943 with a degree in Journalism, & in 1947 with a Juris Doctorate. He was a member of Delta Tau Delta social fraternity, Sigma Delta Chi Journalism fraternity, Phi Delta Phi legal fraternity, & Order of the Coif, honorary legal fraternity. He served in WWII as a 1st Lieutenant aerial navigator in the Army Air Corps. Smith devoted his life to a 3 part career in the practice of law, public service & political action. He had been admitted to the practice of law in all Courts from local Kansas Courts through the Kansas Supreme Court, the Federal Courts, the US Supreme Court, & the Court of Military Appeals, Washington, D.C. His practice in Larned was first in partnership (1947) with the late Judge Maurice A. Wildgen, since 1958 with Donald L. Burnett, & since 1975, with both Burnett & Jerry G. Larson. Also of Counsel from 1991-2014 with the Lawrence law firm of Barber, Emerson, Springer, Zinn & Murray. L.C. He had leadership positions at various levels of service included national participation such as service as 1 of the 5 Kansas Commissioners on Uniform State Laws since 1963, & National Legislative Chairman & member of the National Executive Committee of that Conference for 12 years. 1 of 3 Kansas lawyers in the House of Delegates of the American Bar Association for 10 years, & the only representative for 4 mid-western states on the Board of Governors of the American Bar Association for 3 years, where he served on the National Executive Committee & chaired the Operations Committee. Also was a fellow of the American College of Probate Counsel & Kansas Chairman, as well as a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. He was a 67 year member of the Kansas Bar Association & served on its Legislative Committee since 1963, & was a 20 year member of the KBA Board of Governors From 1975 to 1979, he served as one of the 9 original members appointed by President Gerald Ford as the First Board of Directors of the National Legal Services Corporation. Glee's service at the State level included 16 years in the Kansas State Senate, 1957-1973, & the last 8 of those as President of the Senate. During his service as Senator, he was the 1st Chairman of the Kansas Legislative Coordinating Council which he had helped to create Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee & Chairman of the Ways & Means Committee. He served for 8 years, 1975-1983, as a member of the Kansas Board of Regents, including 2 years as Chairman. He was a Past President & member of the Board of the Kansas State Historical Society, & a past Chairman & member of the Board of Trustees of the Kansas 4-H Foundation, Inc. Other state offices & honors include: President, KU Alumni Association, 1991-1992, member of its Board of Directors & Executive Committee, 1990-1996, he & his wife, Geraldine have been Life Members of the KU Alumni Association since 1952. *Member, Board of Directors of the KU Endowment Association, & Chairman of 1 of its 3 major operating committees. *Board of Governors of the KU Law Society & Past Chairman of its Board of Governors. *Past President, KS Day Club & Past President, Native Sons & Daughters of KS. *Member, Lawrence Rotary Club. *President, Board of Governors of the KU School of Religion. *Member of the Board of Directors, KS Center for Research, Inc. *First recipient of Higher Education Leadership Prize, awarded by all students in all State Universities in 1973. *Recipient of various awards from the KS 4-H Foundation, & a recipient of the Pawnee County Friends of 4-H Citation : *KS Regents Leadership Award, KS Bar Association Award, K.U. School of Law Distinguished Service Award, the KU Distinguished Service Citation (1984) *the Fred Ellsworth Medallion of K.U.A.A. in 1989. In 2005, he was awarded the James Woods Green Medallion, an honorary award from the KU Law School. *Service as a member of the Board of Governors of the Kansas Bar Association & Board of Directors of Kansas Association of Defense Counsel. *Board of Directors & member of the Kansas Chamber of Commerce & Industry. *Served for 12 years as Trustee of Sterling College. *Fellow of the Kansas Bar Foundation. He also served as President of the Southwest Kansas Bar Association & as a Chairman of the First Congressional District Republicans. He was a longtime member of the Board of Kanza Council of the Boy Scouts, & was a recipient of the Silver Beaver Award. He served as Pawnee County Attorney, & President of the Kansas County Attorney's Association. Past District Commander of the American Legion. In Larned, Glee served in many ways as a chis community leader, including: Member of the First Presbyterian Church, ordained Elder, former Trustee & Sunday School teacher. 12 year member & past President of the Larned Board of Education. One of the organizers of the Fort Larned Historical Society in 1957, & a member of its Board of Trustees since its inception. Board of Directors, Larned Chamber of Commerce, for 9 years, including service as President. Recipient of the Chamber's Outstanding Citizen Award in 1990. Longtime member, past President & Past District Lieutenant Governor of Kiwanis Club. Longtime member & past Master of Larned Masonic Lodge, Member of Chapter & Commandery in Larned, Eastern Star Lawrence, Consistory & Shrine in Wichita, with all memberships transferred to Lawrence in 1996. He was Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Jordaan Foundation & President of Jordaan Foundation, Inc. He was creator & longtime director, of the Larned Community Development Corporation. Glee was a member of the Board of Directors of the Lawrence Arts Center. In addition to the foregoing positions of responsibility, Glee served in a number of professional & honorary fraternal organizations & Board of Directors of business organizations, such as banks & insurance companies. These included the First State Bank and Trust Company of Larned, the Lawrence National Bank in Lawrence, The First National Bank of Lawrence, the Mercantile Bank of Lawrence, the Manhattan Mutual Life Insurance Company in Manhattan, the State Mutual Insurance Company of Rome, Georgia & Life of Kansas in Wichita. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Glee S. & Geraldine B. Smith Law School Scholarship, in care of the K.U. Endowment Association, or to the charity of your choice & may be sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary, 120 W. 13th Street, Lawrence, KS 66044. Graveside service with Military Honors will be held at 1 p.m. Thur., Nov. 19, 2015 at Larned Cemetery in Larned, Kansas. A memorial service to celebrate his life will be in Lawrence, Kansas at a future date. Online condolences may be sent at warrenmcelwain.com.