Edgar James Smith, 97, a beloved husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather passed away peacefully at his home on August 13, 2016.
Edgar was the son of the late Benjamin Franklin Smith and Emma Elizabeth Malone Smith, born on December 22, 1918 in Bude, Mississippi. He was predeceased by his wife Lorraine Davis Smith. The couple was very happily married for 77 years.
He is survived by two of his three children: a son, William Franklin Smith, his wife Janis Krebs Smith; a daughter, Jeanne Smith Bartlett; a daughter-in-law, Gail Short Smith; five grandchildren; Chris Bartlett, Ben Smith, Andrew Smith, Laura Smith Guyot and Sarah Smith; five great-grandchildren: Cheyenne and Kai Bartlett, Colin and Declan Guyot and Alyssa Smith and two step-great grandchildren Devon and Leah Donis. He was predeceased by his eldest son Edgar J. Smith, Jr.
After attending Auburn for a year, Edgar completed his education through correspondence school courses. During World War II Edgar served as a Merchant Marine/ US Coast Guard on board the SS Henry Durant as a radio operator bringing military supplies in convoy to Europe. He flew with Waterman Airlines after the war before coming to Portsmouth and working for RCA as a field engineer/contractor. He worked in the Philippine Islands, California, Washington, Spain, Scotland, Paraguay, Iceland, Italy and Oman and retired from the Naval Electronic Systems Engineering Center here in Portsmouth in 1989 after 29 years of devoted service.
When his children were young Edgar was a Sunday school teacher at West End United Methodist and scoutmaster for Troop 225. He was a faithful and active member of Monumental United Methodist for over fifty years. As a longtime member of the Portsmouth Host Lions Club, he served as President. Throughout his life he enjoyed sailing, swimming, camping, hiking, bowling, golfing and his membership at the Portsmouth YMCA. He was an avid ham radio enthusiast with the call numbers W4DMQ.
In 1979, Edgar and his wife co-founded with their son Churchland Country Day School which they operated for 34 years serving the Western Branch community. He was a beloved and dedicated owner and property manager through the years.
The family will receive friends from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m., Monday, August 15 at B.W. Foster Funeral Home, 1926 High Street, Portsmouth. On Tuesday, prior to the memorial service internment will be at Meadowbrook Memorial Gardens in Suffolk. The memorial service celebrating Edgar's life will be conducted at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, August 16, 2016, at Monumental United Methodist Church, 450 Dinwiddie St. in Old Towne Portsmouth.
The Rev. Megan Saucier will officiate. A reception will follow in the church Fellowship Hall. In Lieu of flowers, please make donations to Alzheimer's Disease Research, 22512 Gateway Center Dr., Clarksburg, MD 20871 www.ahaf.org.