John F. "Jack" Smith (1923-2015)

SMITH, HARDER, GRAGES, FINKLEA, YARCHAK, SPANDLE, ROSS

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 10/25/2015 at 16:50:07

Obituary From Adams Soderstrum Funeral Home, Story County, Iowa.

John F. "Jack" Smith, 92, of Ames, died Saturday, September 26, 2015 at Mary Greeley Medical Center in Ames following a brief illness.

He leaves two children, Mark F. (Betty) Smith of Albuquerque, New Mexico and Letitia (Steve) Harder of Ames; five grandchildren, Brian (Annie) Smith, Sharon (Andy) Grages, Christine (Curtis) Finklea, Matt (Candy) Harder, and Chris (Jake) Harder; and two great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Evelyn, in 1994; and his brother, Jim Yurchak.

Jack was born May 9, 1923 to Peter Francis and Johanna (Spandle) Smith in Kansas City, Kansas. He grew up in Kansas City, and in Hays, which is in western Kansas. He enlisted in the Navy in 1942 and spent his service years as a fighter pilot on the carrier USS Suwannee in the South Pacific during WWII. In 1995, Jack published a book about his time aboard the Suwannee entitled, "Hellcats Over the Philippine Deep".

In 1947, he married Evelyn Ann Ross in Kansas City. They moved to Ames, Iowa in 1948 where Jack began a 40 year career as a Professor of Metallurgy at Iowa State University and Senior Scientist with the Ames Lab. Jack served as Chairman of the Department from 1966 through 1970 and he retired as Professor Emeritus in 1988. He continued to edit a scientific journal well into his 80's. Jack earned a reputation in his department as a dedicated teacher, an excellent administrator and a prolific researcher. He often said that he was one of the privileged few who got paid to do something he loved.

Aviation was also a lifelong passion. Jack logged close to 5,000 hours in approximately 150 different types of aircraft over the years. He was one of the founding members of the Silent Knights glider club in Ames and he was actively involved in the Civil Air Patrol.

He will be remembered by all who knew him as a warm and caring man whose sense of humor was ever-present.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to the John F. Smith Scholarship Fund. Donations can be made by contacting the ISU Department of Materials Science and Engineering.

A Mass of Christian Burial
OCT 1. 10:30 AM
St. Cecilia Catholic Church
2900 Hoover Ave.
Ames, IA, US, 50010

Graveside Service
OCT 1. 11:30 AM
Iowa State University Cemetery
Pammel Drive
Ames, IA, US, 50010

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