William B. Smith

Jackson - WILLIAM B. "Ben" SMITH, 93, of Chattanooga, Tennessee diedFebruary 26, 2007 at Alexian Brothers Health Care Center, Signal Mountain, Tennessee. Having received the last rites of the Catholic Church, the day before he died, he was joined in taking communion with his sons and granddaughter. Mr. Smith was retired from Burroughs Corporation after 43 years as a mechanical engineer, serving the West Tennessee area. Born in Jasper City, Tennessee may 21, 1913 to Zettie Louise and Richard Smith, Mr. Smith had seven brothers and sisters, all of whom predeceased him. Abandoned by his father at an early age, he continued to be devoted to his mother, who had only been left a milk cow to feed him and his younger sister. After spending several years as a short-order cook and grocery manager in Chattanooga, Mr. Smith obtained employment with Burroughs Adding Machine Company (now Unisys Corporation) and was initially stationed in Memphis, where he met his wife, Virginia Marie Carey. They were married on Thanksgiving Day in 1940 at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Memphis, moving to Jackson, Tennessee where they lived until her death in 1981. Mr. Smith was the first cub master of the Cub Scout pack that was organized at St. Mary Catholic Church and School in Jackson in 1952. In 1955, Mr. Smith became the first Scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 5 of the West Tennessee Area Boy Scouts at St. Mary Church. He continued as a volunteer with the Boy Scouts, serving in various capacities, including commissioner, for many years. In addition to his service to the Boy Scouts, he was even morecommitted to the Girl Scouts of West Tennessee, and was a charter member of the Reelfoot Girl Scout Council, founded in 1959. He was instrumental in the establishingof the camping and administrative facilities of the council, including Girl Scout Camp Hazelwood near Paris, Tennessee, and the Virginia C.Smith Service Center in Jackson. Mr. Smith was awarded the 1979 annual "Friendmaker Award" of the Reelfoot Girl Scout Council, in recognition of his untiring work and painstaking dedication for the benefit of the our women and girls of West Tennessee. An avid fisherman and outdoorsman, Mr. Smith enjoyed watching his son Steve play little league baseball and other high school sports and he also took pleasure in listening to his son Philip play the piano and organ at church. A member of the "The Greatest Generation," (Tom Brokaw, 2001) which came of age during the depression, Mr. Smith's civilian employment during World War II was deemed essential to the national defense effort. Even so, he was drafted into the army in 1945, but before he could report for duty, his enlistment was cancelled due the Japanese surrender after Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Mr. Smith possessed not only the common purpose of his generation,but also their common values, including duty, honor, economy, courage, service to others above self, and, above all, devotion to and love of his family. He was predeceased by his first wife of 41 years, Virginia, and his second wife, Lillian. He is survived by his sons, Joseph Philip (Debby) of Memphis and Stephen William (Rena) of Houston; two granddaughters, Alison Marie Smith of Boston and Virginal Louise "Ginny" Smith of Southaven, MS; and twogreat-grandchildren, Tyler Matthew and Allie Ann. Mr. Smith will be buried next to his wife at Calvary Cemetery in Jackson. Visitation will beginat 11 a.m. on Friday, March 2, followed by Mass of Christian Burial at noon at St. Mary Catholic Church in Jackson. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Reelfoot Girl Scout Council. George A. Smith and Sons North Chapel731-427-5555