George W. Smith

Smith, George W.
George W. Smith changed his fleeting world for an immortal rest on December 28, 2019, in Naples, Florida. Born in Obetz, Ohio, George had many loves. He loved baseball. He was a left-handed pitcher for his high school team, and took great pride in winning his senior year state championship. He loved his country. Serving in the Army. He especially loved his beautifully blended family. A loyal Buckeye fan, George was the first to arrive at the Shoe and the last to leave after the final notes of Carmen Ohio. George was a voracious reader, beginning every morning by reading the newspaper. While this meant he was always in the loop, he also was adept at spotting a poorly-written obituary. George, forgive us: We tried. You never wasted a single day of your life. There is not enough room in this newspaper to capture the 91 years you lived. Admired by all, he was a self-made businessman who became a universally-respected leader, innovator, mentor, and trusted voice in the real estate industry. A serial entrepreneur, George was still starting new ventures at age 82. George began his career in the printing business, building Pfeiffer Printing. He went on to become a partner in growing one of the Midwest's largest real estate companies, HER. He was president of the Columbus Board of Realtors and Ohio Association of Realtors and regional vice president of the National Association of Realtors. George championed and founded the Tomorrow's Leaders Today Program with the Ohio Association of Realtors. George received dozens of awards, including the Vincent T. Aveni Lifetime Achievement Award, National Association of Realtors Distinguished Service Award, and the Columbus' "Realtor of the Year." He was a member of the Realtors Political Action Committee Hall of Fame. In addition, he co-founded HOMEGUARD of Ohio, a leading regional home warranty company. He was invited as a guest to the White House, advised the Federal Reserve, and was, for a time, a fixture on Capitol Hill among U.S. Senators and Members of the House of Representatives. He was active in the Columbus, Ohio, Rotary Club and served as president of the Downtown Sertoma Club. He was a board member of the Columbus Zoo and Columbus Area Humane Society. He served two terms as the president of the National Association of Hearing and Speech Agencies. A fervent animal activist, George dedicated great time and energy to the Central Ohio Cat Welfare Association (although he preferred dogs). Initially intimidating, once approached, George was smart, comedic, and incredibly warm and generous. The line to seek his advice was long, but always led to a straight answer. He himself sought out other smart voices and devoted much of his life to mentoring the next generations. Money and connections did not impress him. Teach him something he didn't know or tell him a good joke and he'd remember you forever. With an unmatched wit and intelligence, George was often the emcee or provided the most eloquent toast, whether asked or not. Interesting and eclectic, he collected unique paper weights and antique cars, including his prized 1940 Packard. George also had a great passion for his backyard rose garden. He valued hard work and generosity above all else. He remained steadfastly humble despite his many varied and high-profile successes. He invested in, supported and gave back to his community in Columbus — yet his heart always belonged in Marco Island, Florida, where he cherished his time reading the newspaper on the lanai and watching the sunset with his loving wife, Debbie. He is survived by his devoted wife, Debra; his three children: Sherry (and children, Stephanie and Stephen), Deborah (husband, Bruce, and children, Jennifer, Shawn and Amanda) and son, Ronald; his two step-children, Justin (wife, Allie, and son, Mason) and Jeremy (wife, Megan, and children, Watson, Mabel and Henrik); And his three great-grandchildren, Brayden, Landon and Elise. George was preceded in death by his first wife, Pauline; his son-in-law, Arthur; his father, Emerson James "EJ" Smith, and mother, Mary; his brother, Ralph, and his sisters, Betty and Evelyn. We are proud to have had George as our husband, father, grandfather, colleague and friend. He left everyone and everything better than he found them, and to honor him, we will strive to look out for those around us and make someone else laugh. To know him is to have seen that mischievous twinkle in his eye. "The seasons pass, the years will roll. Time and change will surely show. How firm thy friendship…" We will miss you forever, George. O-H. A celebration of life is being planned and will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, and to honor George's spirit and character, please be kind to someone. Call a friend or relative you haven't reached out to recently. Visit a shut-in or nursing home resident. Forgive someone. All acts of kindness are appreciated.