JOHN MARTIN SMITH

JOHN MARTIN SMITH, 72, & BARBARA "BOBBIE" SMITH, 71, of Auburn, passed away on Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2011, in a tragic traffic accident in Grant County, Ind. "In loving memory of our father, mother, daughter, brother, sister-in-law, father-in-law, mother-in-law, grandfather, and grandmother." John was born on Aug. 17, 1939 - he was the son of the late Walter Melvin Smith and Kathleen Ruth (Creager) Smith. He lived in Butler during his youth and then moved to the Smith family farm on the South edge of Butler. He graduated from Butler High School in 1957. He then graduated from Indiana University in Bloomington with a B.S. in business in 1962. He was a member of Theta Chi fraternity. On Sept. 3, 1960, he married Barbara "Bobbie" Alice Clark at Ninth Street Christian Church, Logansport, Ind. Barbara was born on July 13, 1940, in Indianapolis, she was the daughter of the late Charles Bosler Clark and Erma Dean (Shumaker) Clark (she survives) of Mooresville, Ind. She graduated from Plainfield High School in 1958 and from Indiana University with a B.S. in Education in 1962. She was a member of Sigma Kappa sorority. John graduated from the Indiana University School of Law in 1965. He was a member of the Order of the Coif and was a Note Editor of the Indiana Law Journal. He began practicing law in Auburn on Oct. 1, 1965 and recently marked 46 years as an attorney. From 1998 until his death, he practiced law with his son, Thompson Smith. He served on numerous boards of directors of not-for-profit organizations. He was the founder of the Dekalb County Historical Society, the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum, and the National Automotive & Truck Museum of the United States, Inc. (NATMUS). He served on the Board of Trustees and as President of the Indiana Historical Society, on the Board of Directors of the American Truck Historical Society, and on the Board of Directors of Indiana Landmarks. He also held several public offices including: the Board of Trustees and President of the Eckhart Public Library, Auburn City Attorney, and as Dekalb County Historian from 1982 until his death. He fell in love with history in the fifth grade. His passion was local history. During his life, he wrote numerous articles on historical subjects and was the author of seventeen books. In 1990, the 1,510 page "History of Dekalb County, from 1837-1987" was published in observance of the Sesquicentennial of Dekalb County. He authored six books for Arcadia Publishing Company, including "Auburn, The Classic City" and "Dekalb County in Vintage Postcards." John Martin was a "Sagamore of the Wabash," a recipient of the "Auburn Medal of Arts", the "Allen Graber Citizen of the Year Award", and the "Friend of Automotive Historians Award." After graduating from Indiana University, Barbara taught language arts at the Martinsville Junior High School and then taught English at Auburn High School. She then worked part time as a secretary and bookkeeper in the law office for several years. In 1976, she founded Smith-Cornell, Inc. to manufacture and sell plaques and markers for historic properties across the nation. She sold that business in 1991 and then went to work for the NATMUS museum in Auburn until her retirement. She was a member of Tri Kappa and previously involved with Auburn Improvement Association, Ladies Literary, and Dekalb Music Association, among others. John and Bobbie celebrated their fiftieth anniversary last year and celebrated their fifty-first anniversary by completing the ACD Hoosier Tour in a1919 Auburn. They were proud of their 51 years together, but were particularly proud of completing the tour. John and Bobbie were known to their grandchildren as "Grandpa and Grandma at the Farm." Their children and grandchildren meant everything to them. Bobbie recently went on trips with Kathleen in support of her graduate creative project at Ball State University and both of them loved to visit Leah at Huntington University. All of the children and grandchildren would meet on Sunday evenings for dinner at "The Farm" with John and Bobbie. John took Conner, Caleb, Kendyl, and Katie to Holiday World every summer and always encouraged them in all of their endeavors. Grandchildren enjoyed long talks with grandma and projects with grandpa. Grandpa baked all of the Smith family birthday cakes. (Texas sheet cake). A grandchild's paradise was found at the home of John and Bobbie. In fact, they were delighted to help their grandchildren get into mischief that they hadn't thought of yet. John and Bobbie will be missed dearly by their family, their friends, and their community. They are survived by three sons and daughters-in-law, John Clark Creager Smith and Joan Smith of Fort Wayne, John Charles Thompson Smith and Jama Smith of Auburn and John Carl Patrick Smith and Mary Smith of Auburn; grandchildren, Kathleen Smith, Leah Smith, Conner Smith, Caleb Smith, Kendyl Smith, and Katie Smith; a brother and sister-in-law, Rev. Charles W. Smith and Arlene Smith of Cedar Springs, Mich.; a sister, Julie Hutter of Fort Myers Beach, Fla.; and Bobbie's mother, Erma Dean Clark of Auburn. Calling is from 1 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Feller & Clark Funeral Home, Auburn. Funeral service is noon Monday at Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum, with a second calling from 10 a.m. to noon. After the funeral service, there will be a procession through the National Automotive & Truck Museum of the United States with a graveside service following at Woodlawn Cemetery, Auburn. (John and Bobbie's automotive enthusiast friends are encouraged to drive their special interest cars to the service). Preferred memorials to NATMUS, Willenar Geneaology Center, ACD Museum, and St. Martin's Health Clinic.