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BORN
1926
DIED
2023
William Smith Obituary
March 4, 1926 - Jan. 31, 2023
William "Bill" Smith, age 96, passed away peacefully in the early morning of Jan. 31, 2023 in the house that he built.
Bill and his twin brother Robert were born in Floydada, Texas to Henry James "Pete" Smith and Nellie Mae Rawlings in 1926.
Bill served in the Navy and witnessed the raising of the American flag at Iwo Jima. He was a journeyman Electrician until he retired from the Portland Shipyards.
In 1945 he met the love of his life, Mary George, in the Rose Room in downtown Portland. They were married four months later and were together for 73 years until Mary's passing in 2019.
Bill was preceded in death by his sister, AnnaBeth Barnett; twin brother, Robert; and youngest brother, Kenneth Dale. He is survived by his sisters, Barbara Godfrey and Jamey Herd; his children W. George (Carol), James Milo (Claudia), Teresa Sophia (Gilbert Barthelemy); five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
A celebration of life will be held for family and friends at a later date. Donations in his memory may be made to The Oregon Humane Society.
Please sign the online guest book at www.oregonlive.com/obits
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for William Smith
Sponsored by The Family.
2 Entries
Shannon Spence and Jeanne Tobey
March 9, 2023
We met Bill and became friends with him when we moved into the neighborhood 16 years ago. He never grew tired of telling us stories about his life, and we never grew tired of hearing them. He was a proud descendant of the first settlers in Crosby County Texas and very nearly to his dying day he relished reading accounts of his ancestors´ Texas legacy. He told about signing up when WWII broke out and his service in the Pacific on a naval repair ship; he told harrowing stories of close calls, epic naval campaigns, and witnessing the raising of the American flag at Iwo Jima. He and Mary enjoyed telling about how they met - theirs was an almost-Hollywood tale of love at first sight. And we´ll say it again, Bill never grew tired of telling us stories about his life, and we never grew tired of hearing them. Bill and Mary were part of the Greatest Generation and with their passing, and the passing of that generation, we share a feeling of great loss and enormous gratitude. You were our neighbor and our good friend Bill, and we´ll always remember you.
Ade
March 6, 2023
Thank you for your service, Sir. May you rest in peace.
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