Thomas H. Smith

1929 - 2021

Thomas H. Smith
Born: September 13, 1929 in Joliet, IL
Died: November 1, 2021 in Wilmington, IL
Thomas H. Smith, age 92 of Wilmington passed away peacefully at home with his beloved and devoted son by his side after a long and Blessed Life on Monday, November 1, 2021, on All Saints Day.
A devoted Catholic, Tommy Baby, as he was nicknamed by his school classmates, was born on September 13th, 1929, to Herbert and Elizabeth F. (Bess Connor) Smith at the Old St. Joseph's Hospital on Broadway in Joliet and grew up and spent his formative years on the Eastside of Joliet at 107 Akin Avenue in the Connor Family Homestead.
A proud graduate of Woodland School, Washington Junior High Class of 1943 and J.T.--Joliet Township High School Class of 1947. In grade school, he loved to draw his favorite superhero, Batman, was a dedicated crossing guard and was a proud member of the Boy Scouts of America. He really enjoyed his time at JT writing prose, taking shop classes, and mastering math. He loved to fish from the time he was a little kid and spent many hours and took many trips drowning the worm with Mr. George Stickel.
Throughout his life he always wore a uniform. After high school, he was named the head usher at the Rialto Square Theatre, Orpheum, Mode and Princess Theatres in Joliet. At this time, he also started his career in Civil Service and was hired part time by the US Government at the US Post Office on Scott Street. Thomas was drafted into the Army in 1951 and took Basic Training at Fort Hood, Texas training with the 1st Armored Division. On Friday, March 8th of 1952 he left New York City on a streamer headed for Germany saying goodbye to Lady Liberty, crossing the English Channel, seeing the Cliffs of Dover, and then arriving and stepping foot on foreign soil for the first time in Germany on Monday, August 18th of 1952. While overseas with stops in Germany staying in an old Third Reich SS complex, Garmisch Partenkirchen, Germany and Switzerland, he was trained by our government to be an American Badass learning to decipher enemy signals to help the war effort as a Private First Class. He loved his time overseas and had many lasting memories and friendships that he made due to their love of America, food, drinks, and camaraderie. His tour of duty overseas ended in 1953 and seeing Lady Liberty once again upon his return to American Soil, he ended his military duty in New Jersey with an Honorable Discharge.
At that time in his life Thomas decided that he wanted to come back to the town where he was raised and had family, Joliet, Illinois. Like many GI's returning from overseas he went back to Civil Service and took a fulltime job with the US Postal Service. Thomas met and began dating Marge Ward and they were married at St. Bernard's Church on October 20th of 1962. After an amazing reception at Cantigny Post in Joliet they honeymooned in New Orleans. Thru their combined love of each other, their daughter was conceived but due complications, Mary Margaret was delivered stillborn on September 5th, 1967. On September 3rd, 1969, Thomas J. Smith (TJ) was born and changed their life forever. In Spring of 1974, the Smith's moved to Wilmington where they spent the rest of their married life. Thomas was a Baseball Coach for many years helping out Former Police Chief Frank Lyons on the Clennon Cardinals and also cleaned Chuck's Barber Shop every Sunday. After retiring from the US Postal Service in 1988 Mr. Smith took a job at Whitmore Ace Hardware where he worked until his work life ended. He was a Lifetime Member of the VFW, enjoyed seeing his fellow retirees at the Post Office Steak Fry's, loved life, always had a smile on his face along with a story to tell anyone who wanted to listen. He will be greatly missed by many.
Preceded in death and awaiting him in Heaven are his wife Margaret L. Smith (nee Ward), infant daughter, Mary Margaret Smith, parents Herbert and Elizabeth F. Smith (nee Connor), his brother Clare Thomas, mother-in-law Lillian (Wooden) Ward, special cousin Johnny Cooper, Grandparents known as Ma & Pa--Matthew and Ellen "Nelle" (Gray) Connor, Special aunt and uncle Agnes and Fred Davis. The Connor Clan including his uncles William, Thomas, Clare, Matthew, Paul and James (Uncle Buck) and Aunts including Isadore McQuaid, Mame (Frank) Cooper who passed away the day TJ was born on 9/3/1969 and never got to meet him and Grandma Mary (Viscocial) Connor. Brother-in-Law and dear friend, John Brookman, Sister-in-law Phyllis (Ward) Podlesney, Sister-in-law Marie (ReRe--Baitinger) Ward, Niece Michelle Mancuso and lifelong friends till the end including Glen (Louie) and Jane Apgar, Junior Apgar, Freddie Apgar, Neta Apgar and the whole Stickel family.
Survived by his beloved and devoted son, TJ/Thomas J. (Angela) Smith of Wilmington, Step Grand Children Gregory (Kayla) Reavis and Daphne (Dustin) Hughes, Step Great Grand Children Kendall Reavis and Elizabeth Hughes. Sister-in-law and brothers-in-laws' include Shirley Brookman, Norma Jean (Raymond) Webster, Lillian (Michael Sr.) Mancuso, Donald Podlesney, Patricia Orosco, Carol (Harold) Clark, John T. Ward and Robert W (Cathy) Ward. Numerous nieces, nephews and two Connor cousins survive.
Funeral from the Blackburn-Giegerich-Sonntag Funeral Home. Wednesday, November 10, 2021 at 9:15 am to St. Bernard Catholic Church for Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 am. Interment Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery. Visitation Tuesday 4-8 pm. Memorials to Cantigny Post #367 V.F.W. or Kuzma Caring Cottage Wilmington, IL would be appreciated.