Gerald John Smith

With deep sadness, we share that Gerald John Smith (83), of Vancouver, Washington, passed away peacefully on Monday, October 27, 2025, with his family by his side.
Above all, Gerald was a kind, loving, and steady presence in the lives of those around him. After graduating from Washougal High School in 1960, he attended Clark College, where he met his wife and lifelong companion, Meralee Melloy. Together, they built a life side by side, grounded in love and family. They raised two children, Jennifer and Matthew, who remained at the center of Gerald's life. He expressed his love through consistency, encouragement, and praise-offered freely and often. He extended that same steadiness and warmth to his friendships.
Gerald was also a dedicated and skilled industrial arts teacher. He earned his Master's in Teaching from Central Washington University and spent over 30 years teaching at Lewis Junior High, Columbia River High School, and Fort Vancouver High School. Throughout his career, he taught industrial arts, architectural drawing, small gas engines, machine shop, wood shop, and welding. Later in his career, he served as the only machine shop instructor in the Vancouver School District, and students traveled from several schools to attend his class. Many former students continued to share, even in his final years, how much his guidance and encouragement shaped their lives. Gerald was honored as Teacher of the Year in 1986.
Alongside teaching, Gerald worked as a residential general contractor and later focused full-time on his own business, Smith Construction. The time he worked with his son and his son's friends remained especially meaningful. He taught them not only practical skills, but how to take pride in careful, honest work. Many continued to look to him as a mentor long after they moved on.
Gerald approached life with commitment and a willingness to take on new challenges. In his early 30s, he trained for and completed three marathons. Beginning in his mid-40s, he developed a passion for restoring 1930s and 1940s Ford automobiles, contributing to the restoration of approximately 20 vehicles. One of his proudest restorations was a 1934 Ford 2-door sedan, which he drove as the getaway car following his daughter's wedding. Other notable restorations included a 1933 coupe, a 1936 5-window, and a 1940 pickup. He frequently attended automotive swap meets and found joy in the craft and community of restoration.
Gerald will be remembered for his steadiness, his craftsmanship, his quiet humor, and the generous way he gave his time and care. His legacy lives on in the hands he guided, the homes he built, the classic cars he restored, and the family he loved so deeply. He will be dearly missed.
Gerald was preceded in death by his parents, Archie Leon Smith and Eulah Prunty (Parkinson) Smith; his brother, David Smith; and his sister, Dorothy Jantzer. He is survived by his wife, Meralee Smith; his daughter, Jennifer (Jason) Glover; his son, Matthew (Patricia) Smith; and his four grandchildren, Stella and Levi Glover, and Ava and Aleya Smith.
A funeral service will be held at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 22, 2025, at Evergreen Memorial Gardens in Vancouver, Washington.