William Jackson Smith

1926 - 2017

William Jackson Smith, 91, entered eternal rest on June 25, 2017. He was the beloved husband of Almeta Payne Smith, with whom he shared 68 years of marriage. Mr. Smith was born in Lovejoy, IL on May 7, 1926. He is the son of the late William Ernest Smith and Charlene E. Jackson Smith, and brother of the late Margaret Smith Samples and Daisy Smith Giscombe. Mr. Smith was an Educator and Administrator for the City of New Haven Board of Education for 25 years. He taught at Wilbur Cross High School and later became Principal of Richard C. Lee High School. He retired as Principal of Career High School in 1992. Prior to moving to Connecticut in 1967, he resided in Kansas City, Kansas for 16 years. While in Kansas City, he taught Mathematics and Physics at Sumner High School. In addition to his wife, he is survived by his children William Payne Smith, Linda Lorraine Smith Charles, Sonya Elizabeth Smith Prear (Tyrone) and Jeffrey Eliot Smith (Judy), 8 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and many friends. A memorial service will be held at St. John's Episcopal Church, 3 Trumbull Place, North Haven, CT 06473, on Saturday, July 22, 2017 at 1PM. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. John's Episcopal Church for the Memorial Gardens or to the New Haven Lions Club Charitable Trust, P.O. Box 8012, New Haven, CT 06530. Professional services entrusted to Curvin K. Council Funeral Home, 128 Dwight St., New Haven. Online guestbook available at curvinkcouncil.com