Ivan SMITH

Ivan D. Smith, beloved husband, father, and grandfather, passed away peacefully shortly after midnight on June 10, 2025, at Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane, WA. He was born on January 28, 1929, in Lima, OH, to Benjamin Kissell and Ruth Catherine (Yant) Smith. Ivan married Aleen Miller in Shreveport, LA, on January 24, 1953. Aleen passed away on June 6, 2009. They are survived by their two children, Gerry C. (Cathy) Repp and David M. Smith (Paula); and grandson, Chad T. Repp. Ivan was preceded in death by his brothers, Kenneth, Kermit, and Norman of Vaughnsville, OH. He is also survived by Norman's wife, Martha, and their son and two daughters.

Ivan was a graduate of Vaughnsville High School, class of 1947. He enlisted in the Air Force in 1949 and was selected for officer training in 1952, following his service in England during the Korean crisis. After his commissioning and marriage, Ivan attended flight training and qualified as a B-29 pilot in March of 1954. He subsequently transitioned to KC-97s in June 1957 and finally to KC-135s in August of 1960. After assignments at Malmstrom AFB, MT, and Roswell AFB, NM, Ivan was transferred to Fairchild AFB just outside of Spokane. While at Fairchild, Ivan did a number of six-month temporary duty assignments to Southeast Asia in support of operations in Vietnam. In 1968, he was selected for promotion to Lieutenant Colonel but chose to turn down the promotion and submit for retirement as a Major in order to spend more time with his family.

Ivan loved the state of WA, and following his retirement from the Air Force on January 1, 1969, he moved his family to the north side of Spokane and stayed there for the remainder of his life. Following his Air Force service, he sold real estate for Albo Realty and then went to work in the Spokane County Assessor's Office doing residential and commercial property assessments. He retired from the Assessor's Office in 1994.

Ivan was an avid hunter, fisherman, outdoorsman, and prospector. He and Aleen loved to get out into the woods with friends and their grandson, Chad, to enjoy the fabulous recreational opportunities in WA and ID. They also took trips to Alaska, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, but their traveling days were limited by Aleen's failing health. When Aleen needed to move into assisted living, Ivan dedicated himself daily to ensuring she had the best care possible for the remainder of her life.

Services will begin at 9:00 a.m. at Fairmount Memorial Park Chapel, Spokane, WA. Amy Ballard will officiate. Burial will follow with military honors.