Walter P. Smith Jr.

SMITH, Walter P. Jr., 90, of Sandston, passed away Sunday, August 9, 2009. He was preceded in death by his wife, Iva Twiford Smith; brother, Stuart Smith; and sister, Kathryn Adams. He is survived by four children, William S. Smith (Diane), Elizabeth "Betty" S. Schutte, Nancy S. Lickey, Walter P. Smith III (Dot); eight grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Walter attended school in Richmond, Cass Tech in Detroit, Advanced Aviation Engineering in Chicago and Burbank and VCU in Richmond. He served in the U.S. Navy in the Aviation branch during WWII, 1941 to 1945. Walter was an Architectural Service Rep for U.S. Plywood Corp., opened his own business, Architectural Wall Systems Inc., and then operated as a General Contractor. He was a longtime member of Corinth UMC and a Master Mason of Sandston Masonic Lodge for 57 years. He was active as a volunteer in many civic organizations, including the Boy Scouts, Ruritan Club, the Lay Witness Mission Program, and he had a passion for the arts: writing poetry and stories and designing sculptures and driftwood flower arrangements. Walter was also an avid salt water fisherman and loved the water and boating. The family will receive friends 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m., with a Masonic service at 2 p.m., on Sunday, August 16, 2009 at Nelsen Funeral Home, 4650 S. Laburnum Avenue, Richmond, Va. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, August 17, 2009 at Corinth United Methodist Church, 23 West Williamsburg Road, Sandston, Va. A private interment will be held at Washington Memorial Park prior to the service at the church. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial contributions be made to Corinth United Methodist Church Memorial Fund or the Masonic Home of Virginia, 4101 Nine Mile Road, Richmond, Va.


This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.