Isaac Gallup Smith Jr.

Westerly - Isaac Gallup Smith Jr., 93, a lifelong resident of Westerly, died Sunday, Aug. 9, 2015, at The Westerly Hospital. He attended Quarry Hill School, a three-room schoolhouse with two grades in each room, Babcock Junior High School, and Westerly High School, graduating in 1941 and serving as marshal of his class. He enrolled in a post-graduate program at Avon Old Farms. After a summer working at Electric Boat, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in October of 1942 and served as a crew chief repairing landing gear on B-24s for the duration of the war.

He leaves behind his wife, Gertrude (Schwabe) Smith, a part of his life since 1938, when he noticed her skating on the park pond and was intrigued. Not long afterwards, while sliding on Cross Street, she introduced herself by throwing a chunk of icy snow at him. He asked her to go sliding with him and that was the beginning of a lifelong romance. They became engaged before he entered the service and were married on Sept. 18, 1943, at Calvary Baptist Church on Elm Street.

Returning from the war in November of 1945, he entered the apprentice stone cutter's program at the Smith Granite Co., completed his apprenticeship in 1949, and became a journeyman stone cutter. He joined the National Granite Cutter's Union, a part of the AFL, and became secretary of the local branch. He worked at Smith Granite Co., Joseph Coduri Granite Co., and Bonner Monument Co.

In 1959, he left the granite industry to become a draftsman at Electric Boat, retiring in 1983, as facilities manager. A highlight of his time at EB was the building of the Midway facility for which he was construction supervisor. He sought to solve all issues with a win-win situation, treating all parties with respect.

Isaac served his community in many roles. He was president of the Elm Street School PTA, foreman of the Alert Hook and Ladder Co., candidate for Town Council, and, as a member of the Westerly Power Squadron, teacher of sailing and navigation courses.

He was a charter member of Central Baptist Church and was honored to serve as chairman of the Board of Deacons, chairman of the Board of Trustees, and moderator of the church under three different pastors.

Isaac served as a trustee of the Westerly Public Library and Wilcox Park for nine years. As a member of the building committee for the 1993 addition, he worked to "Save the Bay" by helping develop plans to incorporate the bay window of the story-telling area of the children's room into the new east wall. Later he worked in an advisory capacity when the bay was moved to the north wall during the most recent renovation. He also drew the plans for the handicapped access ramp of the 1993 addition. Each stone was cut to dimension to provide a gracious, accessible entrance featuring Westerly granite.

As a member of the park committee, working closely with Alan Peck, he designed a pleasing, attractive entryway to Wilcox Park which was later named in his honor. Isaac chose Stony Creek granite for the gateway since Westerly granite was no longer available. When the Westerly Lions Club renovated the park fountain, Isaac was asked to supervise as project engineer. In recognition of his countless volunteer hours, he was awarded the prestigious Gold Oak Leaf by the Memorial and Library Association of Westerly.

One of the original trustees of the Babcock-Smith House Museum, he served for 42 years. He oversaw the maintenance of the colonial mansion and was the prime mover in building the Carriage House. No job was too menial or too grand for him. He bought his first computer when he was 63 so that he could manage fundraising for the museum. The room which features changing exhibits is named the Isaac Smith Room and a granite bench is dedicated to both Isaac and his wife for their many years of service.

Preservation of artifacts of the Westerly granite industry occupied all his retirement years. He inherited the order books of the Smith Granite Co., which provide a complete record of the company's work from 1883-1953. With hunt-and-peck typing, Isaac entered into a data base the information in these books. This project, which took him nearly 15 years, provided the foundation for the granite resources at the Babcock-Smith House Museum. During countless hours spent with Brenda Linton, Isaac identified hundreds of photographs of the granite industry. He visited cemeteries to photograph monuments, beginning the museum's efforts to photograph existing Westerly granite monuments. His lectures about the granite industry emphasized the craftsmanship and the brotherhood of granite people. His tours of River Bend Cemetery enabled the inexperienced eye to see the fine points of a monument's design and execution. He was so steeped in his research that he felt a bond with those stonecutters of the past. He served as an invaluable resource for the book "Built from Stone: The Westerly Granite Story" by sharing memories, identifying pictures and verifying facts. He was also featured in the nationally-aired PBS video "Carved from Stone: The Legacy of a Granite Town".

His many volunteer hours did not go unnoticed. In 1987, he received an appreciation award from the Lions Club for his service as project engineer of the Wilcox Park Fountain Restoration Project. In 1995, he was chosen as Citizen-of-the-Year by the Westerly Chamber of Commerce and proudly rode in the Columbus Day Parade. Also in 1995, he was given the Antoinette Downing Award from the State of Rhode Island Historic Preservation and Heritage Commission recognizing his volunteer work n preservation, community and church. His work on the granite book helped the museum receive the prestigious Corey Award, given by the American Association of State and Local History to recognize an outstanding project by an all volunteer organization.

He enjoyed many hobbies in his "spare time," particularly sailing in Fishers Island and Long Island sounds as a ready crew member for several owners of large sailboats. Each fall he participated in the three days of the Off Soundings Race-even if it meant that he would be away for his wedding anniversary. He enjoyed golfing with friends and even had to opportunity to travel to Scotland to play on the famous courses there, including St. Andrews. Stamp collecting, too, was a hobby-the only one he continued to enjoy until his death.

He will be dearly missed by Gertrude, his wife of nearly 72 years; his daughter and son-in-law, Linda and Kenneth Chaffee; and his nephew, Anthony Gallup Smith. In addition, his blended family includes five grandchildren, Christopher Allen (wife, Marjorie), Jennifer (Allen) Poirier, Kenneth Chaffee (wife, Jennifer), Lt. Col. Susan (Chaffee) Montag, Ret. (husband, Tom), and Dawn (Hindle) Hancock (husband, Douglas). There are also 13 great-grandchildren, four great-great-grandchildren, and another nephew, Gordon Welford Smith Jr.

He was predeceased by this mother, Helen (Doty) Smith; his father, Isaac Gallup Smith Sr.; his brother, Gordon Welford Smith; and two nephews, Scott Doty Smith and Jeffrey Dean Smith.

A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 15, at the Central Baptist Church, 16 Elm St., Westerly. The burial in River Bend Cemetery will be private.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Babcock-Smith House Museum, 124 Granite St., Westerly, RI 02891.

Funeral services are under the direction of Rushlow-Iacoi Funeral Home & Crematory, 64 Friendship St., Westerly.

For online condolences, please go to www.rushlowiacoifuneralhome.com