Sandy,
Since Wm died in 2007, a quick look on
Ancestry.com found William's obit
which list all of his 7 children:
William A. 'Bill' Smith, Jr.
William A. "Bill" Smith, Jr., 86, of Chillicothe, OH died 4 p.m. Tuesday,
January 2, 2007 at his residence after a series of illnesses.
He was born January 23, 1920, in Chillicothe, the son of the late William
and Marie Evans Smith.
Surviving are seven children; Thomas (Debbie) Smith, of Bethel, OH, Bill
(Anna) Smith, of Jacksonville, FL, Debbie (Sue Costoff) Smith, of
Chillicothe, Janet (Steven) Reed, of Dothan, AL, Daniel Smith, Robert
(Vivian) Bowles and Ernest (Linda) Bowles, all of Chillicothe; 22
grandchildren; 39 great-grandchildren; a great-great-granddaughter; and
sisters, Mary Smith and Marcella Garrett, both of Chillicothe.
He was preceded in death by his loving wife Bonnie V. Smith.
William served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during W.W. II with the 121st
Division. He was retired from the Mead Corporation where he was employed
from 1946 until 1982. William was a member of the Bridge Street Church of
Christ. He married the former Bonnie V. Shoemaker on September 25, 1947 and
the couple resided together in Chillicothe until Bonnie's death on February
7, 1989.
Bill was loved and respected by all who knew him. He will be greatly missed.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, January 6, 2007, in the
Ware Funeral Home with Rev. Russ Pruitt officiating. Burial will follow in
Floral Hills Memory Gardens, Massieville, Ohio. Friends may call at Ware's
from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday (today).
You may sign his online register at
www.warefh.com
Chyrl Lawrence-Bulger
Ross & Pickaway CC
From: Sandra Quinn <ohgen(a)alltel.net>
Reply-To: ohgen(a)rootsweb.com
To: ohgen(a)rootsweb.com
Subject: Re: [OHGENWEB] electricity and other things and a puzzle
Date: Mon, 22 Sep 2008 07:32:46 -0400
Anyone got any ideas for this lady? I found a Mabel Smith in the 1920
census for Athens county, Millfield with a William age 3, and two other
young children. It said she was a widow. I tried to do the one for 1910
but couldn't find her listed with a husband and there are 177 Smiths to
look at in the county. She sent me the WWII certificate from France that
was issued in May 2008. She thinks he died in Ross county as there is a
death certificate for a soldier there of the same name and approximate
death date. Sure hope we can help find the family somehow.
Sandy
Her letters of correspondence below:
[Hello, my name is Jo Shipley. I have been researching my uncle's World
War II experience. He was a radio operator on a B-17 shot down over
France on June 17, 1944. One of the members of the crew was Lt. William
Andrew Smith from Millfield, Ohio. After parachuting to safety, Lt.
Smith was hidden by the French underground until the Allies gained
control of the area. I correspond with a couple of historians in France
who have done extensive research on the crash. Recently, I received the
attached photo of Lt. Smith and the French underground members who hid
him and an invitation to a service honoring Lt. Smith along with two
other aviators who were being hid by the underground during WWII.
I am seeking assistance in finding Lt. Smith or his family as I think
they would be interested in having the photo along with several other
items of correspondence from the French people. It seems from the Ohio
Gen website, that you know a lot about Millfield. I know that Lt. Smith
was from Millfield, OH, he attended Eastern Kentucky College prior to
his military service. Thanks for your assistance.
Sincerely,
Jo Shipley
Thanks for your prompt reply, Sandy. I love puzzles also. I have two
references to his mother's name, Mable F. Smith. The first reference is
from an Air Medal Citation; the second reference is from the "next of
kin" list for the crew members involved in the plane crash. In both
cases, only Lt. Smith's mother, Mable F. Smith of Millfield, Ohio, is
listed. I think he may have been born Jan. 23, 1920 and died Jan. 2,
2007. I found the birth/death information on
findagrave.com. It lists
William A. Smith as being buried in the Floral Hills Memorial Gardens
Cemetery in Massieville, Ross County, Ohio. The listing says Mr. Smith
was a member of the US Army Air Corps during WW II. That is why I think
it might be him, but I can't be sure as William Smith is a fairly common
name and there could be more than one. I would like to find him or his
family members as I think they would be interested in the information
from France. I certainly would be if he were my family member.
I read most of the information on your website about Millfield. Was it
primarily a coal mining town? I read about the Millfield mine disaster.
I know that both Lt. Smith and his brother were enrolled at Eastern
Kentucky State Teachers College in Richmond, Kentucky, prior to the War.
I contacted the university but they had no current information on either
of the Smith brothers. I do wonder how two brothers from a coal mining
area with apparently a single mother could afford to go to college in
the early 1940's. Being from Kentucky, I am familiar with the conditions
in eastern Ky. coal mining country and what a struggle it was for people
to get by during the depression and early war years. Any assistance you
can provide would be appreciated.
Thanks again,
Jo Shipley
Sandy
I replied to your previous email prior to reading this one. Here is some
additional information:
Lt. Smith was a graduate of the Victorville Bombardier School, class
42-12, Sept. 1942. At one time, he lived at 4403 Rawlins, Dallas TX.
This information is from a WWII Bombardier organization which has had no
contact with him since 1990. I have misplaced the piece of paper with
his brother's name on it but will try to find it today or tomorrow. I
hope this will help. Thanks again,
Jo Shipley ]
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