Gilbert A. "Gil" Smith

Obituary of Gilbert A. Smith

Gilbert Ainsworth "Gil" Smith died Jan. 2, 2026 at his home in Maris Grove Senior Living Community, Glen Mills of complications from pneumonia and dysphagia. He was 97.

Husband of the late Veneranda "Vinnie" Amatucci Smith, they shared 64 years together until her death in 2017.

Gil was born in Collingswood, NJ, the fourth child of Harry W. and Hilda Bertrand Smith. After a move to Sharon Hill in Delaware County, the family of six later settled in the Bon Air section of Haverford Township.

Like many families during the Depression Era, the Smiths struggled to make ends meet and all family members contributed, including the youngest child, Gil. In 1937, the 9-year-old took over his brother Bert's newspaper route, daily delivering dozens of Philadelphia Inquirers from his wagon.

Gil's family moved to Garfield Avenue in Manoa section of the township and Gil attended Haverford Junior High School, his ability in mathematics eventually leading to his becoming the youngest captain of the chess team. He also displayed athletic prowess - at Haverford High School he was a soccer standout as a forward. Gil was chosen to play in a Philadelphia-area all-star game against a New York team.

During World War II, teenage Gil worked at the Havertown Acme market, memorizing the prices of every product and correctly adding their totals in his head, much to the delight of customers. It was this skill that led him to his life's work. A store customer was married to an executive at INA, the Insurance Company of North America – now Cigna – and she sang Gil's praises to her husband. That man was in charge of bringing in promising young men to train as underwriters. Gil fit the bill.

He was 22 and working as an underwriter for INA when in 1951 he was drafted into the Army to serve in the Korean War.

He was sent to Camp Pickett, Va. for training and service for 18 months, and he was eventually promoted to corporal. An officer noted his intelligence -- and typing ability -- so Gil was assigned the position of company clerk for the U.S. Army's 961st Engineers. Gil's unit was transferred to Fort Bragg, N.C. from where he was honorably discharged in 1953.

Later that year, he married his hometown sweetheart, Veneranda "Vinnie" Amatucci, whom he met when friends set them up on a hayride blind date.

Gil and Vinnie had two children, Jeff and Natalie. He was an involved father, including being active with his son's Boy Scout troop and coaching his daughter's Bobby Sox softball team for two seasons.

The insurance industry had Gil and his family moving around the country, to Milwaukee, San Jose, Calif., Sterling Heights, Mich. and ultimately back to Pennsylvania. And after years with INA, Gil left to work for smaller insurance agencies before eventually returning to his original workplace and then retiring in 1994. After retirement, he and Vinnie enjoyed taking cruises and traveling with senior groups. Gil gardened and volunteered helping low-income individuals in Chester fill out rent/rebate forms.

At Maris Grove, he was for many years an ad hoc board member and "idea man" of the Italian Club -- a group he initially joined via his Italian-American wife. Gil also enjoyed dining with a consistent group of friends and his regular Tuesday night pinochle games.

He was a kind and loving man who was known for kidding around and always having a joke at the ready.

In addition to his wife and parents, Gil's preceded in death by brothers Bertrand and Irvin; sister Gloria; and companion in his later years, Doris Botkin.

Gil is survived by his son, Jeffrey and daughter-in-law Betsy; daughter Natalie Smith Schickling and son-in-law Barry Schickling; grandchildren Sarah Smith; Matthew Smith and wife Stephanie; Rebecca Smith Kucinski and husband Jordan Kucinski; great-grandson Jacob Christensen; great-granddaughters Sloane Kucinski and Parker Kucinski; niece Lynn Carnes and husband Bill Carnes; and former daughter-in-law Lori Melke Smith.

Services are Thursday, Jan. 8 at St. Cornelius Church, 160 Ridge Road, Chadds Ford, Pa. Visitation is from 10 to 11 a.m. followed by a funeral Mass at 11 a.m. Interment will follow at SS. Peter & Paul Cemetery, Springfield, Pa. Donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association at (alz.org). Online Condolences may be made by visiting www.paganofuneralhome.com

The Mass will be livestreamed starting at 11:00 AM on Thursday. Please go to https://saintcornelius.org/ and click on Mass livestream