Kenneth R. Smith

Kenneth R. Smith, 82 SANFORD -- Kenneth R. Smith, 82, died July 10, 2008 at the Greenwood Center in Sanford. He was resident of the Mayflower Assisted Living Facility and prior to that lived on Milton Ave. in Sanford. He was the son of Herbert and Blanche (Cooper) Smith. Born on June 9, 1926, he was the sixth in a family of eight and grew up on lower Main Street in Sanford. He attended Sanford Schools and just before beginning his senior year at Sanford High School he was drafted into the army in September, 1944. He received basic and armored vehicle operations training at Fort Knox, Ky. He served with the 3rd Armored Division and saw action at the battle to capture Dessau on the Elbe River in Germany in April of 1945. His unit was pulled back to Sangerhausen on April 25, 1945 at which time he began occupation duties. On May 8, 1945 Germany surrendered. Upon deactivation of the division in November of that year he served with the 10th Constabulatory Regiment on various occupation duties until July 1946. \Upon his return to the United States he used the GI bill to attend Roosevelt Aviation School on Long Island New York and learned aviation maintenance. He learned to fly at the Sanford Airport and was employed by the Goodall-Sanford Textile Mills from 1948 to 1954 until the mills closed. At that time he reenlisted in the Army and served from 1954 to 1958 in the Army Corps of Engineers. He was stationed in Germany, Fort Ord, Calif. and Camp Roberts, Calif. Ken Smith married Andrea Abbott in 1956 in Hollywood, Calif. Upon his separation from the army in 1958 they briefly returned to Sanford. After the birth of his first son and facing limited job opportunities he moved his family to southern California and eventually settled in Torrance. He was employed by Microplate, Inc. in the performance of metal finishing for various government and aerospace contractors. In 1975 he returned with his family to Sanford and was employed by Aerofab Inc. and UTC-Pratt & Whitney in North Berwick. He was a devoted husband and father and enjoyed woodworking, gardening, and being a grandfather. He had the reputation within the family as being able to fix anything. He is predeceased by his wife, Andrea in 2004. He is survived by his two children, Brian Smith and his wife Laurie and Kevin Smith and his wife Marguerite, all of Sanford; his six grandchildren, Leah Smith of Portland Oregon, Gregory Smith, Andrew Smith, Kendra Smith, all of Sanford, Ashlee Smith of Castleton, Vermont and Alex Smith of Sanford. A memorial service will be conducted on Tuesday at 11:00 a.m. at the Carll-Heald & Black Funeral Home, 580 Main Street, Springvale with the Rev. Dennis Reeves officiating. Burial will follow in Oakdale Cemetery in Sanford. Condolences may be expressed by visiting www.blackfuneralhomes.com. Those planning an expression of sympathy are asked to consider AMVETS National Service Foundation 4647 Forbes Blvd Lanham, MD 20706-4380 Kenneth R. Smith