SMITH, Donaldson Berkeley 1908-2011
SMITH, BOEGEL, DAVIS
Posted By: S. Bell
Date: 10/29/2011 at 01:24:57
[Waterloo Courier, Sunday, August 14, 2011]
Donaldson Berkeley Smith was born on 14 February 1908 in Rainier, Ore., son of Bert M. and Mabel L. Smith. He married Helen C. Boegel on May 8, 1938, at First Presbyterian Church in Sioux City, Iowa.
Berkeley was graduated from Hopkinton Iowa High School after attending Hopkinton Elementary schools and Long Beach California Polytechnic. He graduated from Lenox Junior College in Hopkinton, the oldest college open at that time west of the Mississippi River. He then enrolled at UCLA and later transferred to the University of Iowa where he earned his BA and his JD degrees. In 1936 he was admitted to the Iowa Bar.
He worked for the General Adjustment Bureau (GAB) in Des Moines and Sioux City, Iowa before being named Branch Manager for the GAB in Waterloo, Iowa in 1951. After his retirement from GAB, Berkeley practiced civil law in the Lindeman-Yagla Law Firm.
He was a member of the Westminster Presbyterian Church, Martin Lodge #624 of the Masons, the Scottish Rite, the Abu Bekr Shrine, the OX-5 Society, the Ancient and Secret Order of Quiet Birdmen, the Luscombe Association, AOPA, the American and Iowa Bar Associations and Blue Goose Organization. He was a lifetime member of the University of Iowa Alumni Association and a 60-year member of the Waterloo Rotary Club.
In addition to his family, Berkeley's life-long passion was aviation. He started taking flying lessons in California in 1928 and earned his pilot's license in 1929. He flew accident-free for 75 years before voluntarily giving up his license. The personnel at Waterloo airport all knew him well as he regularly took his beloved Luscombe 8E (#1753K) out for flights from there for over 50 years. He took his last flight (with an instructor copilot beside him) in 2010 at age 102.
As a devoted husband and father, he always set high standards and worked hard to provide the best for his family. Together they traveled extensively throughout the United States mainly to visit their Air Force son or to attend most Iowa Bowl games. He and Helen held season Hawkeye football tickets for over 45 years. Together with Helen, his daughter and son-in-law, his last major trip was a cross-country train ride to his birthplace in 2006. Berkeley remained physically active and continued to play tennis with friends well into his eighties.
Berkeley is survived by his wife of 73 years Helen; son Major General (retired) Bruce Smith (Suzanne); daughter Bonnie Smith-Davis (Roger), granddaughter Heather Andrade (Joey); grandson Patrick Baughan (Beth), granddaughter Robin Smith; four great-grandchildren: Tyler and Allison Andrade, and Aidan and Ella Baughan.
Services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday at Westminster Presbyterian Church followed by family committal at Waterloo Cemetery. Visitation is 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Locke Funeral Home with a public Masonic Service at 6 p.m. by Martin Lodge #624 A.F. & A.M. In lieu of flowers, donations in Berkeley's name may be made to the University of Iowa Foundation Hawkeye Fund, PO Box 4550 Iowa City, IA 52244 or to Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1301 Kimball Ave, Waterloo, Iowa 50702.
Black Hawk Obituaries maintained by Karen De Groote.
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