Bruce Martin Smith

Bruce Martin Smith

FLORENCE — A memorial service for Mr. Bruce Martin Smith, husband of Jill Mueller Smith, will be at 1:00, Saturday afternoon December 2, 2006, in St. Luke Lutheran Church. The service will be conducted by the Rev. Henry Moody. Family members will receive friends from 7:00-9:00, Friday evening, December 1, 2006 at Cain Funeral Home. The family suggests memorials to St. Luke Lutheran Church, 1201 Cherokee Rd., Florence, SC 29501.

Mr. Smith, 69, of Florence, died Saturday, November 25, 2006, at his home. He was born April 23, 1937, in Cleveland, OH, to the late Albert Richardson and Bonnie May Large Smith.

Mr. Smith did his Army basic training at Ft. Leonard Wood, MO and his advanced Infantry training at Ft. Jackson, SC. He served from 1956-1957 with the 12th Armored Infantry Battalion and the 7th Army NCO Academy in Munich, Germany. He was based in Worms, Germany with the Hell on Wheels Division. Some of his duties included serving on the Russian/Germany border near the front lines. He drove a tank, was an expert marksman and served in the Honor Guard Platoon, which was inspected by Gen. Bruce Clark. He was Honorably discharged at the end of 1957 and was very proud to have served his country.

Mr. Smith received his BA from Fenn College, now Cleveland State University. He was a metallurgist by trade in specialty steel. He was a pioneer in his profession of high specialty metals, an expert in jet engine/rocket materials and other toxic materials. He worked on two US Patents and the Gemini Project. His career spanned from field engineer, sales, sales manager, marketing manager, chief metallurgist, head of metallurgy and developer of the stainless steel mini-mill concept. Most importantly to him, he was a hands-on teacher and mentor. He was highly respected and admired internationally in his field. From the sunrise to the moonrise in his life, he did it his way with respect, integrity and dignity. He retired in 1999 to be with his family. Gods speed Bruce M. Smith.

Among his survivors, in addition to his wife, are: daughters, Debbie L. (Jeffery) Stroop and Kim N. (Vince) Locastro both of Pittsburgh, PA, Wendy A. (Jack) Edgerton of Florence and Cindy B. (David) Drew of Darlington; eight grandchildren, Joseph, Nicole, Victoria, Lindsey, Trevor, David, Jr., Daniel and Lauren; one great-grandchild, Vincent; sister Victoria (Len) Porchello and brother, Greg (Jill) Marquez both of Yorbalinda, CA

An online guest register is available on the obituaries page at www.cainfuneralhome.com.