PHILLIP H. SMITH, SR.

April 24, 1925 - December 23, 2006

Lt. Col. Phillip H. Smith, SR., USAF (Ret) age 81, passed away Saturday, December 23, 2006 at Palmetto Health Baptist in Columbia, SC. Mr. Smith was born April 24, 1925, in Riparius, Warren County, NY, son of the late Gilbert E. and Hazel M. Smith. He grew up in Riparius, graduating from Pottersville Central High School in 1943. He joined the Army Air Corps in August 1943 where he served as a radio operator on B-17 and B-29 aircraft before attending Officer Candidate School in 1949. He served in Korea in the 1st Shoran Beacon Squadron and later attended avionics/weapons school, serving in the 3081st Aviation Depot Group in South Dakota, the 38th TAC Missile Wing in Germany and 9th Air Force at Shaw AFB, S.C. He received a Bachelor of General Education degree under the Bootstrap Program from the University of Omaha in 1961 and a Masters degree from the University of South Carolina. Upon retirement from the Air Force in 1968, he became an educator in Sumter School District 2 where he served as a teacher, guidance counselor, and an elementray school principal. He was a member of the Air Force Association, The Retired Officer Association, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Air Force Museum Foundation. Mr. Smith is survived by his loving wife, Irene Erickson Smith, daughter, Mary (David) Waldrep of Edgewood, NM., sons, John (Mary) Smith of Pittsburgh, PA, and Phillip Smith, Jr. of Sumter, SC., grandchildren, Melissa (Tim) Armenta, Joel Waldrep, Erin Smith, Kelsey Smith and Connor Smith, great-grandchildren, Jayme Waldrep, Kayley Waldrep, Richard Armenta, and Heather Armenta. He was preceded in death by his sister, Phyllis and a great-grandchild, Tyler Waldrep. Services for Mr. Smith were held in Sumter, SC on Wednesday, December 27, 2006. Memorials may be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, S.C. Chapter, 1247 Lake Murray Blvd., Irmo, SC 29063 or to the American Cancer Society, 128 Stonemark Lane, Columbia, SC. 29210 A graveside service with militay honors will be held in the Spring in the L'Anse Evergreen Cemetery. The Reid Funeral Service and Chapel, L'Anse has been entrusted with local arrangments.