Harold J. Smith

Harold Jerome Smith was born October 1,1941 in Winner, South Dakota, on the memorial of St Theresa of Lisieux and just after the memorial of St. Jerome, a priest and Doctor of the church, from which he received his middle name.

He was raised on a farm and then on a ranch near Longvalley, South Dakota where he developed his love for the great outdoors, especially the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota. After graduating from Colome High School in 1959 he later attended Colorado State University's College of Forestry & Recreation where he majored in Park Management, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in preparation for his career with the National Park Service.

Harold served 1967 through 1969 with the US Army's Data Support Command in the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia, as a computer operator living adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery.

His career with the National Park Service began as a seasonal park ranger in Crater Lake National Park, Oregon. Then to a permanent assignment at Canyon de Chelly National Monument on the Navajo Reservation of Northern Arizona, assignments at Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona, Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Maryland, Shenandoah National Park, Virginia and finally back west to Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado. As Superintendent of Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in southern Arizona he retired in 1997 with 32 years of service.

At Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, the most important event of his life happened to Harold. On All Saints Day, November 1, 1985, he received the Sacraments of Confirmation, Reconciliation and Eucharist in the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Ajo, Arizona. He has served as a Lector, Extraordinary Minister of Communion, as member and President of Pastoral Council, associate member of Legion of Mary, made a Cursillo, active member and President of the Our Lady of Lourdes Conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. He has the Blessing of several Pilgrimages to Fatima, San Lorenzo de Escorial, Convent of St. Theresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross and others in Spain. Additionally pilgrimages to Medjorgjie, St. Peter's Tomb in the Vatican, San Giovanni Rotunda site of Padre Pio's great faith. Miracle at Lanciano, St Francis of Assisi and St Clair areas of faith. In 2013 traveled to Lourdes and other religious shrines of France. In 2014 he made a pilgrimage to Poland during the canonization of Pope's John Paul II and John XXIII and area so associated along with Fr. Maximilian Kobe, St. Faustiana, and St Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein).

In addition to his love for travel he enjoyed gardening, home improvements, photography, ornate clocks and woodworking as hobbies.