John W. Smith

John W. "Lut" Smith of McSherrystown, PA passed away peacefully on Saturday, January 6, 2024 in Hanover, PA at the UPMC Hospital. He was the husband of the late Loretta A. (Peg) Smith who died in 2020, together they shared 67 years of marriage.
He was born in Adams County and was the son of Elmer J. and Grace M. (Sadler) Smith. He was a member of Annunciation BVM church in McSherrystown, PA and a past member of the church choir. He was a life-long member of Knights of Columbus in McSherrystown, PA and Catholic War Veterans in Bonneauville, PA.
John was a veteran of the Army serving in the Korean War.
He was a graduate of Delone Catholic in the class of 1947. John retired from Diller Wierman, Inc. employed for 40 years as a sheet metal fabricator.
John was a dedicated volunteer at Delone and the last original member who started the Delone Catholic Athletic Association. He was a humble man and felt greatly honored by being inducted into the Delone Catholic "Hall of Honor" in 2021. He began his volunteer service in 1954 and continued until 2018. His service covered many of the sports offered at the time. He would be found operating the time clock/scoreboard at football games, girls and boys basketball games, and wrestling matches. Many of the athletics and students not really knowing him by name, referred to him as "Mr. Delone."
In his younger days outside of Delone, John could be found coaching and umpiring youth baseball in McSherrystown, PA.
John was a big Notre Dame fan and traveled to South Bend many times to enjoy football games with family and friends. He was a member of the Gettysburg Notre Dame Club since it was chartered in 2004. His last fond memory was meeting Coach Marcus Freeman at a special event that the club sponsored in May of 2023. He was honored by the club as the oldest living member at the time of Coach Freeman's visit.
Above all John/Pap enjoyed his many family vacations to Ocean City, Maryland and weekends at Lake Meade boating and water skiing.
He would always look forward to the yearly winter ski trip to Seven Springs with family and friends. Pap retired his skis at the age of 82 years young.
The love of his life was spending time with his family; he especially cherished moments with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
He is survived by his son, Tony and his daughter-in-law Donna Smith of McSherrystown; son-in-law Wade Harlacher of Gettysburg; three grandsons, Ryan and his wife Marie Smith, Ty and his wife Suzi Harlacher, Jerrod and his wife Emily Smith, all of Hanover, PA; four great-grandchildren, Leland Smith, Brian Harlacher, Rowan and Adelynn Smith, all of Hanover, PA; brother, Bernard Smith of York, PA, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his daughter Donna "Noonie" Harlacher and seven sisters, Mildred Sentz, Genevieve Bolin, Ruth Moore, Rita Kuhn, Pauline Eline, Threasa Overbaugh, and Dorothy Matthews.
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to his special live-in caretaker, Anthony Agyiri.
Relatives and friends are invited to a viewing in celebration of John's life on Friday, January 12, 2024, from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m., at Murphy-Beck Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Inc., 501 Ridge Avenue, McSherrystown and to his Mass of Christian Burial, 11:00 a.m., at Annunciation BVM Church, 26 N. Third Street, McSherrystown, with Rev. Richard Lyons as celebrant. Interment will follow at Annunciation BVM Cemetery. Military honors provided by Hanover Allied Veterans Honor Guard.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Delone Catholic High School, 140 South Oxford Avenue, McSherrystown, PA 17344 or to Annunciation BVM Church Restoration Fund, 26 N. Third Street McSherrystown, PA 17344.
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